Mega Man Legacy - The Elysian War
by Peregrine1
Summary: X and Zero were thought gone, but their return will trigger a conflict that will require new heroes. Read and review, s'il vous plait!
1. Prologue - Night to the Rescue

Author's Note: Mega Man X and its people are owned by Capcom, who have a new habit of whoring them out for plotless games. Anyone can use my characters if they ask me first, of course. - Peregrine  
  
He was just your average teenager, walking down the street, decked out in a long black leather coat, shades on his face, and headphones blasting God knows what. A cocky grin was splayed onto his face as he watched the crowd. Long silver hair fell down to his lower back, unrestrained, some of it falling down his broad shoulders. Unknown to those around him, he could hear every word of their conversations through the old music. It was his favorite hobby to eavesdrop on them.  
  
"Well, you should try to add more flour, but-"  
  
"God, I hate that guy, he's such a-"  
  
"I don't get paid enough for getting out this late-"  
  
"Hunters? Who needs `em, it's those stupid reploids' faults-"  
  
To this, the young man grimaced. Fools, he thought. If it weren't for the Hunters, you'd all be dead. But a sound from nearby broke him from his scowl. He ran at the sound of a scream, his coat flaring behind him. And Night is off to the rescue...  
  
"Somebody, help! He took my purse!" A woman was trying to run after a man in a mask, but a broken heel made that almost impossible. Night sighed, and began to run after him. How was he going to explain this one...?  
  
The thief ran as fast as he could, but Night still caught up to him. The thief drew a gun, and fired, again and again. Most of his shots missed, but one hit home, and Night fell onto one knee. At this, the thief turned around, panting. "Hah! That's what you get for bein' a hero!" With a groan, Night got to his feet. Another shot hit him in the chest, where his heart should be. He staggered back a step, but steadied himself. The thief pulled the trigger again, but the weapon's energy was spent. Night scowled, and tossed aside his jacket to reveal a set of polished black armor. "That was my favorite coat, asshole!"  
  
The thief stopped laughing, as the blood drained from his face. "You, you're a reploid! Damn robot, take this!" With that, he hurled the gun at Night, who stepped out of the way and dashed at his target. The thief went down hard, grabbing at his stomach, groaning and kicking at Night, but he was already back on his feet. Night picked up the purse., to find himself looking at a very scared woman holding the spent gun.  
  
"Take whatever you want, but don't hurt me!" If possible, she seemed even more afraid. He took a step forward, hands raised. "Don't worry, I'm not going to-"  
  
"Stay back, you monster!" she screamed, clicking the trigger helplessly. "Help! Help! It's a Maverick!!!" She tripped and fell, screaming her head off. Night balled his hands into fists, shaking his head angrily. "Shut up! Here's your fuckin' purse!" He threw it at her, just as a beam of white light fell, turning into a white-armored reploid, just in time to catch it. "Not cool, little bro. Let's go home, Night. You've had enough fun."  
  
"Don't tell me what to do, Sol! She called me a fucking-" Night lost his train of thought, flailing his arms like a fool. His brother cut him off before he make things worse.  
  
"Go to HQ, now! That's an order!" Commander Sol of the 17th grabbed his brother harshly by the shoulder, and spoke lower. "Don't let it get to you, bro. For once, don't be such a hothead." A grudging smile crossed Night's lips.  
  
"So, another lecture from the Blonde Bomber?" His brother was almost a complete opposite to his black armor. It was white from head to toe, down to his opened helmet, which let a blonde ponytail fall from the back. The knight in shining armor, while I'm just another shadow... "What did I tell you about calling me that?" Taking the weapon from the woman's shaking hands, he shook his head and activated his warp generator, lightly tossing her back her purse as the white and black beams intertwined and sent them to their home, Maverick Hunter Headquarters.  
  
The year is 22XX. The Maverick virus has been neutralized. The Repliforce War has come to end, thanks to the efforts of Commanders X and Zero of the Maverick Hunters. After the battle, X began a new project: To create a place for reploids who were disenfranchised to the human world, so that an incident like that could never happen again. Elysium. Unfortunately, human governments turned on their former hero, accusing him of creating a military state with the Hunters at its head. The colony was forcibly grounded and several trade embargoes left the Reploid's Paradise crippled, and Cain's fortunes that kept it running were rapidly dwindling  
  
X's longtime partner, Commander Zero Omega, formerly of the Special #00 Unit, became X's political rival, planning a military response to this new prejudice. X and Zero began to drift farther apart as Elysium began to splinter into factions. This was made worse by growing rumors that Zero was, in fact, the source of the Maverick virus. The mixture of the loss of his love Iris, the new home he created in her memory, and of his best friend was too much for Zero to bear. He changed, succumbing to a new form of an old threat, now known as the Zero virus. He created his own Maverick generals, but before he could rise to conquer Elysium, he was destroyed by X, and a strange anti-virus wiped out both the virus and X's memories of Zero.  
  
Fearing for his sanity, X sealed himself into a capsule, leaving behind two reploids of his own creation to protect humanity. Night and Sol. While Sol soon took X's place at the lead of the Maverick Hunters with his talent with his Dual Busters, the pacifistic Night soon became a relative disappointment and was made the tactical officer under their new leader, Alia. But, little known to the new Hunters, an evil is lurking deep in the heart of Elysium, and some things don't die easily... 


	2. Chapter 1 - The New Truth

(Author's Note: Mega Man X and Co. are owned by Capcom, who have a strange tendency to make games progressively worse. Anyone can use my characters if they ask me first, of course. - Peregrine  
  
AN2: Any reviews or criticism are GREATLY appreciated. Send whatever you want, including suggestions, to alkarl225@cs.com)  
  
Chapter 1: The Song of Truth  
  
Two beams of light fell into the Maverick Hunter Headquarters and formed into Night and Sol within the War Room. Pulling away from his brother's grip, Night grabbed a chair and plopped down, his feet on top of the map projector. "So...time for another lecture?"  
  
Sol took a deep breath, rubbing his eyes. "Night, are you trying to give me gray hairs?"  
  
"That would be a feat, now wouldn't it? I think sometimes you forget-"  
  
Sol cut him off, "Shut up, Night. Quit trying to change the subject."  
  
Night shrugged and pulled of his shades. "What's the big deal? I was playing hero, not shooting up New York City. Sheesh. As if I could."  
  
"What you did was leave the Headquarters unannounced, act in a threatening manner towards a human-"  
  
Night jumped to his feet. "A goddamned thief!"  
  
"Not to mention almost assaulting that woman!" Sol yelled, then quickly lowered his voice. *The last thing I need is Alia on my ass again over Night's behavior...*, he thought. "Night...you lost your head back there, and to the humans, that's enough."  
  
Night shook his head, a grim smile on his face. "Enough for what? For the Blonde Bomber to kill a few more misguided innocents?" He stood up, getting into his brother's face. "That's all you do now, isn't it?" He pushed him backwards, his smile replaced with a angry glare. "That's what the Hunters are, right? Killing anyone that inconveniences the goddamned human race?!"  
  
"Why, you ungrateful little-" He was interrupted when the main alarms went off, and people started to rush about to their stations. From behind them, a less-than-amused voice said, "If you two are done behaving like children..." They both jumped from surprise.  
  
"Sir! How long have you been there?!" Sol said, pushing his brother off of him.  
  
Tactical Commander Alia was sitting in her chair, quickly typing into the main computer. "Long enough. Night, we've got ten unidentified reploids in the airspace above Elysium. Get them on the screen and hurry. Sol, assemble your unit, just in case. And I want to talk to both of you once this is over!" She said, still staring intently at her terminal.  
  
"But-" They said at once.  
  
"Move!" she said, this time with authority in her voice. Night ran to the terminal near the projector, bringing up radar scans. Sol warped out of the room to the unit barracks. "I've got them, Alia! There's no sign of viral infection, and though I'm picking up weapons, none appear to be armed."  
  
"Strange...Can you I.D. any of them?" she asked, as she ran over readiness reports from the Hunter Units. Only the 17th was in the green. The rest of the Hunters were either disbanded or deployed. "Let's hope they're just having a joyride..."  
  
Night typed in more commands, schematics flying rapidly over the screen. "They're all humanoid-base Reploids with sustained flight capability. Nothing that matches my scans is registered. But that's impossible, isn't it? I thought all reploids were registered upon activation?"  
  
"They are. What're they-"  
  
"Sir! Get a look at this!" Alia looked up from her terminal to find the projector image distorting, as a live broadcast attempted to override the computer system. "The broadcast appears to be coming from those reploids! They're hacking into every projector and computer screen in the colony...They're in!"  
  
"Then I guess we watch the show..." Alia muttered. She typing in scramble orders for the 17th. She had the creeping suspicion she'd need them.  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
As screens all over the Elysian colony came to life, a smiling face greeting the population. He could be mistaken for human, if not for the red control chip cover on his forehead. Spiky white hair and a soft smile gave him a young appearance, but his focused blue eyes canceled the effect. All of Elysium was watching when he began to speak.  
  
"Fellow reploids, members of a beleaguered race, I greet you. My name is Gabriel, captain of the Angel Corps. I have come to liberate my people from human oppression, to show my brothers and sisters a better way of life." He paused, as if waiting for his audience to settle.  
  
"The humans created us for one reason, and one alone. As tools. Tools of labor, tools of medicine, tools of research, tools of war, but ALWAYS...always, we have been their tools. Those who refused to be used in such a manner were destroyed by the Hunters, as they still are now. There was a time when part of this was justified. The Maverick virus was a malicious disease that forced us to kill our creators and our counterparts. But with the death of it's source, with the destruction of Zero Omega, that excuse became a weak one. Now, the Hunters are merely a highly-trained and heavily armed secret police for the humans, as they turn us into subservient creatures. But we of the Angel Corps will not allow it." On cue, the camera zoomed out, showing the nine reploids in formation behind him. Their shoulder mounted thrusters gave them the appearance of angels. Gabriel spread his arms, his smile widening.  
  
"We are the disciples of the new truth. We have come to minister to the reploid race, the true chosen race of God. The humans are weak and petty, while we are stronger, smarter, and of a far greater spirit than any human can hope to achieve. He has cast aside his ungrateful creations. WE are now his most favored. He has given us Novus Veritas, the New Truth, and I give you all that great gift. The humans lash out at nature. They've ruined it. They decimate everything they encounter, because they are AFRAID. They subjugate us because they know WE ARE SUPERIOR. They want to destroy us because we are destined to inherit the earth, not they. It is God's will that we take what is rightfully ours! WE ARE THE REPLOID RACE!!!! WE ARE THE ULTIMATE CHILDREN OF GOD!!!! Embrace Novus Veritas and we will turn this entire world into Elysium, the place it is meant to be!" One of the reploids behind him came forward, her eyes closed and her hands clasped together. Brown hair came down to  
her shoulders and her light green and white armor reflected the starlight. As she spoke, her voice echoed in a strange yet beautiful melody. "Listen to the truth, and embrace your future." She opened her eyes, showing the bright green irises which seemed to glow and swirl like flames. Then, she began to sing...  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
(Whew...that's enough for this installment. More should be coming soon. Review me, please, and make suggestions if you wish. Also, if my Latin's wrong, please tell me! The action's coming soon, and let me tell you, it's gonna be a doozy. That said, g-night, and did I mention that I really, really, really want reviews?! - Peregrine 


	3. Chapter 2 - The Siren's Song

(Author's Note: Mega Man X and Co. are owned by Capcom, who have a severe handicap when it comes to game translation. Anyone can use my characters. If they ask me first, of course. - Peregrine  
  
AN2: Any reviews or criticism are GREATLY appreciated. Send whatever you want, including suggestions, to alkarl225@cs.com  
  
* indicates thought, BTW)  
  
Chapter 2: The Siren's Song  
  
"What...what is she doing?" Alia asked, as her constant typing came to an abrupt halt.  
  
Night was too far gone to answer. He was staring into the female reploid's eyes, as the camera zoomed into them, revealing their fiery glow. Her song was entrancing, and he felt himself slipping away from reality. He wanted to fly up there, to meet this strange woman. He was about to stand when something in the back of his mind told him to focus. He tried to ignore it, but the insistence grew louder, until he couldn't ignore it. *What's going on?! What-*  
  
ACTIVATING SAFEGUARD SYSTEM, PASSWORD NEGATIVE ZERO.  
  
The words flashed in green letters in his field of vision, and suddenly his mind was clear. The singing faded into the background of his senses, and he hurriedly began to activate the aural scanners. Reading the results, he quickly tried to cut off the transmission, but the computer wouldn't respond. He tried to override, but his monitor suddenly went dark, denying him access. "Alia, shut off the transmission! It's the Virus!" When he heard no response, he turned to see that she was staring blankly ahead, her eyes glowing a light purple. "Alia! Oh no...Gotta do something!" Running to the projector, he grabbed a chair and swung down, frying the device. Alia slumped in her chair, her eyes returned to normal.  
  
"Night...what was-"  
  
"It's the virus! It's embedded in the song! We've got to stop her!" he yelled. He ran to another terminal, trying to block the transmission, but it too went blank. "Something's affecting the computers, too!" Alia was still slumped over, nearly unconscious. He ran over to her, shaking her roughly.  
  
"We must hurry..." Finally roused, she turned on the com. "All Hunters! Ignore this transmission and scramble to the airspace above Elysium! I repeat-" Before she could finish, her terminal began to spark and shut down. "Damn it! We've got to stop her! Dammit, we've gotta think!"  
  
Night began to pace around the room, putting on his shades. "Is there some way to-" He was cut off by sounds of buster fire. "Sol!" He quickly warped to the barracks, leaving Alia alone.  
  
"Night, wait! Shit! What the HELL is going on here?!"  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Night arrived to a horrific scene. Sol was deep in battle with three members of his unit. The rest were already dead. Reploid blood was everywhere. Sol had his Dual Busters pointed at one of the attackers, and they all had their busters charging, grinning evilly at their former commander. "Night, stay back! They're infected!" Dashing towards them, Sol fired off a volley of shots from each of his busters, then quickly began to charge. One of them was down instantly, his control chip melted. The other two spread out, shooting at Sol like madmen. Sol dodged each one in turn, using his warp boots to "blink" out of the shots range. "You only get one chance to miss me, Mavericks!"  
  
Suddenly afraid, the two attackers began to step back, firing wildly. Sol just smiled as his busters reached full charge. "This ends now!" he cried. He dashed between the two mavericks and held his arms straight out. With a scream of rage, he fired. From each buster came a spike of concentrated plasma, followed by a chain. As the spikes struck, they impaled their targets, and the chains electrified, destroying circuitry. Sol blinked out of the way just as their cores went critical. "My entire unit...Mavericks. I'm going to kill that bitch!" Turning to his brother, Sol said. "Get Alia out of here!"  
  
"She's fine, bro! We've got to-"  
  
"Not we, Night. I....not you, not we, I have to stop them! You're useless in a fight. You've got no weapons, hell, you can't even be fitted with a dash system! I'm doing this alone, so stay out of this!" Activating his long-range warp, he disappeared.  
  
Night felt his hands turn into fists. *He's right...I am useless. Shit, I need power!*  
  
ACTIVATING TWIN RUSH SYSTEM. As the words ran across his field of vision, Night felt something happening to his legs. He looked down to see that exhaust vents had sprung out of nowhere, shining silver on his black boots. "What the hell-" Before he could finish, he felt himself blasted into the air. A second burst brought his head firmly into the ceiling. "Aw, Shit! AAAH!" Flailing his arms like a fool, he fell, landing flat on his rear. "Dammit! What the hell is going on?!"  
  
YOU MUST STOP THEM. YOUR BROTHER IS IN DANGER. SCRAMBLE, MAVERICK HUNTER.  
  
"Sol?! Who is this?" The green text quickly erased and new words were typed.  
  
YOU MUST HURRY, NIGHT. HE'S FINALLY RETURNED, AND ONLY YOU CAN STOP HIM. OVERRIDING WARP SYSTEM...  
  
"Holy-!" He coalesced into a black beam of energy and shot off into the sky above Elysium.  
  
From deep within Elysium, someone sighed. "Good luck...you'll need it."  
  
(Well, there's today's installment. I think I'm going to drop the semi- daily updates for some longer chapters...Review, please, and don't touch that dial. In the next chapter, the fit's going to hit the shan. - Peregrine) 


	4. Chapter 3 - Awakening

AN: Megaman X and Co. are owned by Capcom. God help them, because Capcom sure won't.  
  
Chapter 3: Awakening  
  
Night arrived to find himself staring off of the side of the colony. Pulling himself to his feet, he looked over the side. "Whew. Someone needs to work on their aim. Ah, well." As he began to run up the side of the outer dome, his communicator suddenly came to life.  
  
"…ight! Night, do you read me?"  
  
"Night here. I'm going to the top. Wish me luck." He put on his shades, and pulled on his headphones.  
  
"Night! Don't go up there! The auto-cannons are going haywire and you're still unarmed!"  
  
"I've gotta help, Sol! Besides, with this new dash system, those cannons can't touch me." He shut off his com and began to dash to the summit, music blaring at full volume.  
  
From within HQ, Alia sighed, trying to fix the computer systems. "If the dash activated, then…I hope you know what you're doing, because he sure doesn't"  
  
A message flashed across the few working monitors.  
  
HE'LL LEARN FAST. HE IS A MEGA MAN. IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
From atop the colony of Elysium, a battle raged. Two men fought with all they had to defeat the other. Sol dshed back and forth, dodging swings from the angel Gabriel's huge plasma sword. His shots seemed to have little effect as his enemy blazed forward, his wing thrusters adding deadly force to the blows. It only seemed like a matter of time before he couldn't dodge, but Sol had a smile on his face. "Haven't…had a fight like…THIS in my life!"  
  
"Good to end on a high note, then!" Gabriel screamed. With a burst from his wings, he flew backwards, his sword glowing green as he raised it overhead. "This game ends now!" With a feral scream, he rushed forward with his wings at the max. Sol simply stood there and smiled, his arms crossed in their Buster form. Gabriel quickly closed the gap, and brought his blade down as it extended to twice its length. He only hit the ground, leaving a deep cut in the colony's roof.  
  
Sol blinked in behind him, charged Dual Busters aimed at Gabriel's back. "Tag. You're it." He fired, his plasma chains lashing out to shock the angel. Firing one of his thrusters, he quickly spun, his blade fully extended. The chains were knocked back, shocking Sol. He fell to his knees from the pain, emergency warnings screaming in his head. "You…son of a…"  
  
Gabriel strode forward, triumphant, his hand outstretched. "You were a worthy opponent. Your reward is the truth. But you defied me, so you must also be punished…" His hand began to glow with a purple flame. He grabbed Sol by the throat, and Sol felt his mind burning. He began to scream as the flames engulfed him, Gabriel laughing all the while.  
  
"Shit!" Night yelled, as the last set of cannons all fired at once. It had been easy at first, but when ten cannons all had a lock on you, dodging plasma turned into a dangerous game. He fired off a shot from each leg, trying to stay as fast as he could. "Damn! This dash skating kicks ass!" With a double burst, he was finally out of range, and nearly to the the summit observatory. "This is easier than I thought…"  
  
As if on cue, an alarm sounded, and the ground in front of him opened up. A robot nearly twice Night's size was raised onto the dome. Huge fists pounded the ground, knocking Night to his knees. "Aw, shit!" He tried to dash past, but the robot jumped into his path, shaking the ground again, and swung. Night flew backward and crashed into the ground. "Crap…50% systems energy…in one shot?!" The robot began to walk forward, fists ready to crush Night.  
  
ACTIVATING WARRIOR'S SPIRIT, LEVEL ONE. PASSCODE REQUIRED.  
  
"Uh…Negative Zero!"  
  
DENIED.  
  
The robot took slow steps, smashing the ground as he went.  
  
"Oh, shit…Nova Strike?!"  
  
DENIED.  
  
His communicator suddenly blasted awake. "TURN OFF that damn radio!!!"  
  
"Alia! I'm in a situation here…I need a-"  
  
Alia yelled, "Hero's legacy!"  
  
PASSCODE ACCEPTED. DUEL BLADERS ONLINE.  
  
"What the hell?!" Out of nowhere, the top of his gauntlets expanded. From the new gauntlets, blades of green plasma sprung forth. His dash blasted him back just as the robot swung down, scraping his back against the dome. He jumped to his feet, screaming like an idiot. He jumped forward, his new blades outstretched. He flew past his opponent, landing face-first. He rolled over to see that the robot hadn't moved. He stood up, at 25% energy from his fall. "I'm screwed…"  
  
Then the robot exploded, as its head rolled down the dome's slope. "Score! Yeah! Whoooo-ha!!!!"  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHH!" The scream cut Night's victory celebration short.  
  
"Sol!"  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Gabriel was enjoying his task of forcing the truth into Sol's mind. The resistance was challenging, but that made it even more entertaining. He couldn't help but laugh, as his grip grew firmer with every scream of pain. "Surrender to the truth! It is your destiny, as the chosen son of Mega Man X, to free your people from them!"  
  
Serrael watched her brother play his game. * This isn't necessary. I could have done this painlessly… * she thought. She knew that her brother enjoyed the competition, but he lost sight of their task too easily. "Gabriel! We can finish this later! Someone has destroyed my little surprise, and seems to be en route." Her connection to Elysium's systems was growing weaker, someone blocking her access. "I can't control the guns much longer."  
  
"I'll kill whoever comes here, as soon as I'm through with this fool!" He yelled back. In a more hushed tone, he whispered to his victim. "We don't need you. I could break your mind right now. You're so weak of will, just another lap dog. I'd kill you now, but Father thinks you're necessary…but I can make you suffer all I wa-"  
  
"Let him go!" They Angel Corps turned to see a blur of black and green rushing at them. With an air dash, Night charged a stunned Gabriel.  
  
Gabriel had no chance to react before his arms were sliced from his body, freeing Sol. With a scream of rage and pain, Gabriel fell to the ground, bleeding and defenseless. Night turned and dashed towards Gabriel again, intent on finishing the job, but he suddenly stopped as she began to sing. He found himself unable to move, fighting within his mind against her control.  
  
"Maverick Hunter, let my brother live and I will let yours." Serrael had taken Gabriel's sword and held it to Sol's throat. "We are not enemies!"  
  
"You killed the Hunters! How are you not my enemy?!" Night struggled against his bonds, his anger giving him strength. But that strength faded as she walked to his prone form. When she touched him, that touch overwhelmed his mind. Her green eyes slowly lost their angry flame as she stared into his. "Humanity has taken away everything that we deserve. Don't be their murderer! I beg you! I can only hold you for so long…"  
  
"Who…who are you? Why are you here?!"  
  
"I am Serrael. That is my brother, Gabriel. We only want to help our kind, to spread Veritus, the truth. We will leave here, just, please, let my brother go."  
  
Night wanted to kill Gabriel, wanted to punish him for attacking Elysium, for killing all of those people. He wanted to refuse and kill them all, but as he stood there paralyzed, a message blinked into his vision.  
  
YOU ARE NOT A KILLER. HE'S DEFENSELESS. LET THEM GO, NIGHT.  
  
"Fine. Get out of here!" Suddenly, he was free. Serrael held her unconscious brother in her arms. She looked up at Night again, the fire returned to her gaze. "Angels! Grab the target!"  
  
"Target?! What…" The reploids who had watched silently from a distance now swooped in, taking their fallen leader. Then, before Night could react, they were gone.  
  
" He dashed towards them, firing both charges at once from his boots, but they had already warped away. "Shit!!!" He turned on his comm. "Alia, they've escaped! And they've got Sol!" 


	5. Chapter 4 - Before the Storm

(AN: Mega Man X and Co. are owned by Capcom. (Enter witty remark here) Anyone can use my characters, if they ask me first, of course  
  
R&R, please, folks. I really should do that, too...I will if you will, promise!)  
  
Chapter 4: Before the Storm  
  
Looking into the room, one might think it was a young woman's apartment. A small bed, a kitchenette, a bathroom, and a desk filled the otherwise bare room. Books and reports were tossed haphazardly around. A girl in pink pajamas was typing at her computer.  
  
HE'S LOSING IT, ALIA...HE NEEDS SOL MORE THAN HE EVER LET ON...  
  
"Well, nice to see you, too, Mr. Romantic..." Alia said, yawning. "Do you know what time it is?!"  
  
YOU WERE NEVER ASLEEP AT ONE IN THE MORNING.  
  
"Ha. Ha. Ha." She was in her quarters, typing madly away at her computer, as usual. "It's been, what, 50 years? And when you do step out of the shadows, who do you ask about FIRST? Night. Geez..."  
  
48 YEARS...3 MONTHS, 6 DAYS, 14 HOURS, 27 MINUTES, SHALL I KEEP GOING?  
  
"Good to know you cared." Alia sighed, her hands stopping as she read the screen. "He's taking it hard. Our new medic has had enough of him. Scorches, shrapnel wounds, plasma blasts, simulated falls...I had to lock him out of the simulator. He's bursting at the seams, and he wants blood."  
  
HE WON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR LONG...  
  
"I know..." she said. Her expression darkened at the memories she had of the only Uprising she had seen, the Fourth. Some the images she'd seen as a cadet still haunted her after all those years. So many of her friends, both Hunters and Repliforce, were gone forever. "I wish you were here..."  
  
THE TIME WILL COME...ONE OF US WILL MAKE THE FIRST MOVE, AND THE OTHER WILL MAKE THE LAST...WE ARE CONNECTED. THAT IS WHY THIS IS NECESSARY.  
  
"You always knew what to say to cheer a girl up..." she muttered. She was broken from her reverie when her comm beeped. "Damn, those things are loud...Who is it?!"  
  
"Commander, Lifesavor here. He's on the move again."  
  
"Didn't I tell you to stop him?! Dammit!" She shook her head, turning back to her work. "Next time don't half-ass it, alright?!"  
  
"Hey, no offense, sir, but I'd like to see you stop an angry teenager with arm blades throwing a temper tantrum!"  
  
"Fine. I'm on my way." She slammed down her screen. With a mental command, her pajamas turned into her armor. "Stupid, reckless..."  
  
OH, AND NICE PAJAMAS BY THE WAY...  
  
"Shut up!!!" She burst out of the doors, blushing and cursing at the same time. "If the sims don't kill that dumbass, I swear I will!"  
  
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Night dashed his way down the halls, barely missing Hunters as he went. His paths of destruction always led to same place since the week before, and soon, no one could be found on the way to practice center. He practically knocked the door open as he ran into the simulator, sealing it behind him. He only slowed down to put on his shades and headphones and to put his favorite track on full volume. "Activate full attack simulation! Location: Cyberspace, Fourth Uprising! Time trial mode! Maximum difficulty!"  
  
User registered as Night...ACCESS DENIED. RESTRICTED BY TACTICAL COMM-  
  
"Override code, X-Y-Zero!"  
  
...ACCEPTED! WARNING! Maverick General will be at full combat strength and real injury is possible. ACTIVATING IN 5....4...  
  
"Let's kick some ass..." He activated his blades and fell into a ready stance.  
  
SIMULATION READY. HAVE A NICE DAY.  
  
The room suddenly shifted. The bare metallic walls were replaced by a surreal environment of numbers, text, and an array of flashing colors. As he stepped forward, a scanning grid surrounded him and activated. "Here we...GOOOO!!!!" With a double burst from his dash boots, he was off. The first path was simple enough, as he dodged the moving balls of energy and destroyed the flying triangles that flew at him. Reaching the portal, he hadn't even broken a sweat. The grid soon flew into the portal and a large S appeared within it as he ran onward.  
  
The second time trial was a little hard. He found himself jumping and dashing wildly to avoid the draining spheres and didn't escape without a few scratches from the robots that appeared. As he turned to slice a bomber drone in half, he felt a shock run through his body. After a brief flash of pain, he was loose from the stray sphere and managed to drag himself to the portal as his internal energy fought to stabilize itself. It finally settled at 60%. "Shit!" He looked up to see a giant S glaring down at him. "Lucky son of a..." He dashed forward again, clawing pointlessly at the air in front of him.  
  
The final level seemed easy enough at first after his painful lesson in field awareness. He made it unharmed to a seeming dead end, and cursed as he looked up. Sets of platforms went straight up, connected by ladders. Spheres and drones were everywhere. "Ah, SHIT!!!" He stood there dumbfounded as he felt his S rank slipping away.  
  
USE THE SIDES, LUKE :-)  
  
"What the..." He knew he saw the message on his shades, but it was gone before it could register in his mind. Looking up again, inspiration struck him and he dash jumped like he never had before. Using his grappler claws to grip the sides of the platforms, he kicked back and forth from one platform to the next, leaving most of the danger behind him. After that, it was a few quick dashes to the finish line. His third S was waiting for him as he arrived.  
  
But then, much to his surprise, the course disappeared and was replaced with a rectangular chamber. As he looked around, he felt as if he were in the guts of a computer. "Hey, wait a minute..."  
  
He was silenced as a form materialized behind him, spikes of plasma lashing out from its body. Insane laughter filled the room as night lay there, his internal systems rapidly trying to heal his new wounds. "Ugh...WHO ARE YOU?!!" Night jumped to his feet, blades at the ready.  
  
"Who do you think, dumbass? This is MY simulation, isn't it?"  
  
The birdlike reploid cackled madly, then disappeared. Night stood there, dumbfounded, until he dashed out of the way just in time to avoid another attack.  
  
"Cyber Peacock...If it isn't Mr. Predictable himself..." With a scream or rage, Peacock blinked out again, to reappear almost instantly, behind Night, but found himself appearing to a double slash that knocked him to the wall.  
  
"Like I said! Predictable!" Night ran forward to deliver the killing blow, but his target was gone too quickly. Night waited, then dashed backwards, but his enemy reappeared far away this time. "Stupid rookie! Take this!" Raising his arms, Peacock fired a barrage of plasma feathers, too many for Night to hope to dodge. He raised his blades in defense and closed his eyes, waiting for the KO.  
  
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Moments later, he opened his eyes, surprised that he wasn't hurt, but quickly wished he hadn't looked. "Alia!! Um, hi, er, hello, sir! Just mastering my new gear, sir, er, miss!"  
  
"Cut the bull, Night. Number 1. You scared the living shit out of our chief medical officer. Number 2. You practically ran over anyone in your way. Number 3. You USED MY GOD-DAMNED CODE TO OVERRIDE YOUR RESTRICTION!!! Now, all of that, I'm willing to let all of that slide..." Night relaxed, turning off his blades.  
  
"But I'll be GOD-DAMNED if you wake me up at 1 in the morning and get yourself BLASTED TO BITS!!!!" The room shook with the fury of her voice and boots could be heard outside as eavesdroppers suddenly decided to find a safer place to be.  
  
"But, sir, I need to be ready! I need to save Sol!"  
  
"I know, kid, but getting yourself totaled before the action isn't going to help him. We still don't know what they did back there, much less where they are. We have to let them make the first move." She walked up to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "You're the only real Hunter I've got left, Night. Don't let your anger get you killed..."  
  
"I know, I know...but it's driving me insane! I need to, I gotta do SOMETHING!" Night yelled, slamming his fist into the wall. His breathing came out in gasps as he tossed his shades across the room. "This is all my fault..." He started to break down, tears streaming down his face. "They've got him because I let them get away!"  
  
Alia put her arms around Night, trying to calm him. "Sometimes I forget you're still a kid in some ways...Look, Night, you did the right thing. X would be proud of you. I know I'm proud of you." Night nodded, wiping the tears from his face. "We'll get Sol back. But you have to be patient."  
  
Night was about to say something when the HQ suddenly went insane. Alarm klaxons blared as red lights flashed all around. "Shit!" Alia's comm went off even louder than the sirens, making her curse under her breath. "WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON?!" she screamed, over the noise.  
  
"Sir, please return to Tactical Command, we've got a situation!" a Hunter replied on the other end.  
  
"What kind of situation?!" Alia yelled.  
  
"It's the Angel Corps, sir! They're in the Elysium Robot Factory! They just sent us a message, and you need to see this!"  
  
"Shit! On my way!" she said, turning off her comm. "Guess you don't need patience after all..."  
  
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The camera panned out to show people running and screaming in the background, humans and reploids alike. A solitary figure was standing still in the center of the confusion. The cam zoomed in on the young man and muted the sounds of the outside struggle as best it could. Short red hair rose in spikes from the man's head, and his red and white armor bore the symbol of the Angel Corps on his shoulder. A wide grin was stuck onto his face. He looked up at the camera, arms crossed, and his smile grew wide. "Night! My troops have claimed this factory in the name of the Truth! We Angels avenge our allies tenfold! Come alone, if you dare, and I'll gladly melt you down to scrap metal! I am Ignis, Angel of Fire, and I'm going to kick your-" The transmission cut out as a background explosion destroyed the camera.  
  
(Well, that wasn't my best work, but I finally managed to get it out. Thank God. Please review, and I'll do my best to review some of the other stories ASAP. Reality can be so...time consuming. Good night, folks.) 


	6. Chapter 5 - Opposites Attract

(AN: Mega Man X and Co. are owned by Capcom. (Enter witty remark here) Anyone can use my characters, if they ask me first, of course  
  
R&R, please, folks. I'm really gonna do that SOON, too...I PROMISE!!!! )  
  
Chapter 5: Opposites Attract  
  
"I'm going, Alia," said Night. His fists were clenched in anticipation. "Like hell you are! What units do we-" night put his hand on Alia's shoulder, silencing her.  
  
"You know as well as I do that we don't have Hunters to spare right now. Mavericks are coming out the woodworks, and besides, I can handle this loser..."  
  
"This isn't the time for heroics, Night! You're untrained, unfocused, and you're too close to this fight!" she yelled. She stared into Night's eyes and for a moment he met her hard gaze evenly. Then he burst into laughter.  
  
"Guess it runs in the family..." He shook his head, letting the humor fade from his face. "I'll be fine, Commander. I need to do this. Alone. Trust me."  
  
"Shit...Fine! Hurry up and get out there! And watch yourself, kid!" Night was gone before she could finish, and everyone was silent for a moment. Most of them had never seen real combat, and were so nervous they just stood there. Alia sat down, typing into her terminal. For a moment, the tapping of keys was all that could be heard. "Guys...GET ME SOME GOD- DAMNED DATA ON THAT GOD-DAMNED FACTORY!!!" In a mad rush, the war room was alive with activity. "I hope you know what you're doing, kid..."  
  
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"Sir! We've sent out the first shipment of stolen bots!" Ignis nodded, staring up at the most beautiful tank he'd ever seen. His subordinate rattled on with his report, and Ignis didn't hear a word. Look at this damn thing..., he thought. Rocket launchers, plasma cannons, lasers, treads bigger than houses...What a pretty toy.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I heard you! What's the status on my Super Mega Destroyer Tank? Designed it back in the slave days!" With a burst from his wings, he jumped and landed on its flat roof. "Isn't it COOL?!"  
  
"Um, uh, yes, sir! It will be operational in less than an hour! It takes quite a while to charge! But, sir, the shipment included gunner drones, dragonflies, Metools, flying bombers, and a few Supermechs that are- "  
  
"I don't care! Get out of my face, and get my baby running!!!" Ignis yelled. "Save your freakin' reports for someone who cares, you little kiss- ass!"  
  
"Um, y-yes sir!" The soldier saluted and ran off, more scared of his 'commander' than of the visitor on his way. Ignis chuckled wildly as he left, rolling on the roof of the tank.  
  
"You're such a child before a fight, Jaran..." Ignis turned to the vidscreen and pretended to pout.  
  
"What'd I tell you about that, 'Na-dia'?! I'm Ignis now, the Burning Angel!" He struck a heroic pose and flipped off of the tank with a wing- powered spin. He bowed for his adoring audience then looked up to the image of a not-very-amused reploid. She was tying back her silver hair, trying to shake her head at the same time.  
  
"You'll always be my 'cute liddle Jaran', Ignis." Ignoring his grimace, she went on. "You be careful, now. That Night kid managed to hurt Gabe and I don't want to see you hurt or worse..."  
  
"No worries, babe! He caught that sissy Gabby by surprise! He won't be so lucky this time! I'll kick his stupid ass, and then I'll take you out on the town in my brand-new Super Mega Destroyer Tank of Loooooove!" He laughed at his own joke, wiping tears from his eyes. Even she had to stifle a giggle. "Man, no wonder you can't resist me! I'm so irresistible!"  
  
"Yeah, no wonder...Just be careful, okay? Promise, lover?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I promise. How 'bout this? I'll make you a ring out of his dinky black armor, huh?" Just then, the alarms went off.  
  
"How romantic. But it looks like you've got company. Love ya. Aqueous out!" The screen winked out and Ignis jumped back onto his new tank.  
  
"I'm waiting...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"  
  
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Night warped into a mess. Even outside of the factory, the place was devastated. Robots were on the rampage, destroying every vehicle they could find. Everywhere he looked, machinery was ripped apart and blasted. Some of the rubble looked too much like reploids for comfort. He took in the grim scene for a moment before putting his shades on and dashing in the general direction of the mayhem, blades drawn.  
  
He soon met up with resistance as bug-like reploids dove at him, trying to grab him in their claws. He managed to dodged a few, slashing them as they passed, but one caught him off guard and he felt himself being painfully drained. "Stupid son of a-" With a pair of dashes aimed right at the dragonfly drone's midsection, he knocked himself face-first into a windshield. "Damn! That hurt like a bitch..." A quick scan showed he was down to 85% energy. He pulled himself out of the transport and ran ahead, now looking up as he went, his lesson learned.  
  
Unfortunately, the threat came from below. Before he could reach the inner gates of the factory, a huge drill burst from the ground, sending him flying. "Ugh...60%...oh, crap..." He jumped to his feet, cursing under his breath at the new enemy.  
  
"Give it up, Night! No one can defeat the Angel Corps!" A soldier stood in the cockpit of the drill-tank, ready to strike again. "This whole thing is made out of Ex-Alloy!" The soldier spurred his tank onward, slowly moving forward to crush Night. Night just stood there, his arms crossed and a huge grin on his face.  
  
"I think you're forgetting something..." Night yelled. The tank inched forward, the drill spinning and rattling in a metallic blur. It drew closer, an inch a second and Night didn't seem to care that he was trapped. He even started laughing.  
  
"Wh-what are you laughing at?! This tank is going to, to kill you!" The soldier was furious as he beat at the controls, trying to speed up the process. When he looked up, Night was gone. "What the-"  
  
"Hey, dumbass!" The soldier turned to look straight into a closed fist. He was out cold. "I can dash jump over the stupid drill bit. You're not the sharpest tool in the shed, are you?" Under his control, the tank tore the gate to shreds and Night moved onward, dodging and slashing at the mounted cannons all over the interior of the factory. "What in God's name were they making in here?!"  
  
He dashed to the left, landing on a cannon and thrusting down into its frame. He barely managed to jump out of the way of another beam of plasma and used his second dash to land in front of another cannon. "Oh, shi-" he was knocked back by the shot. Screaming in pain, he double dashed at and through the last cannon, Duel Blades outstretched. He was greeted with an energy capsule and a steel door. "Seems like they're expecting me." As the new energy coursed through him, repairing the cracks in his armor, he felt ready to face what he knew was coming. The door opened as he walked forward. It sealed behind him and another door waited in front of him. "Isn't this cliche..." Night dashed through the last door. Ignis was waiting for him.  
  
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"Sup, loserboy, ready to feel the burn?" Ignis stood on his new tank. With a deep bow, he said, "Ignis, at your disservice."  
  
"Are you gonna spout one-liners all day or are we gonna fight?!" Night jumped onto the tank and got into a ready stance.  
  
"You wanna die already?! Fine by me!!" Ignis dashed backwards, his wings outstretched. He pointed his open palms at Night and black vents appeared, wrapping his arms in flame. "I got a knuckle sandwich for ya, get it while it's hot!" He charged forward and before Night could react, struck him with an uppercut to the chest. Night swung back, but Ignis was already airborne and looking for an opening.  
  
"Nice shot, but it'll take more than that to beat me!" In the back of his head, he knew that a quarter of his energy was just beat out of him. He lunged at the Maverick, thrusting with his right arm. Ignis flew back against the wall, laughing as he dodged. "Gotcha!" Night yelled, triggering a second dash as he slashed with his other arm and fell to the ground.  
  
"AGH! You son of a bitch!" Ignis screamed. He stretched out his arms, firing a steady stream of fire. Night jumped back, unscathed. "That all you got?!" With a scream, Ignis landed, dashing forward for another Fire Strike. Night jumped over it, slashing at his opponent's back and quickly dashing away from another flamethrower attack.  
  
The battle continued as Night kept tagging his opponent after each rush. With a flip and double strike, Night kicked the Maverick with a dash- enhanced roundhouse, sending him crashing to the ground. "Damn, for a guy with wings, you can't maneuver for shit!"  
  
"Shut up!" Ignis struggled to stand, but fell to his knees in pain. "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!" Night grinned and strode forward, blades at his sides. He shook his head and sighed as he jumped off of the tank tread.  
  
"We can do this the easy way or the fun way. I suggest you surrender, even though that's SO boring." Night laughed when Ignis spat at him, dodging to the side. "Good range! Is that you're special attack?"  
  
"You human-loving dog!!! I won't let you kill me!" He stood up, defiant, his arms aflame.  
  
"Whoa, there, buddy. I'm not gonna 'kill' anyone-"  
  
"Liar!!! That's not true, it isn't! This...this is the Truth! Veritus!" Ignis's eyes began to glow with a purple light and the flames changed colors and surrounded his body. "Time to die, Hunter scum!" With a feral scream, he rammed his body into Night, pinning him against the wall. The flames slowly melted Night's armor. The pain was turning everything in Night's mind into a purple blur as his vision began to fade. "Come on...Scream for me! Scream, you sorry bastard!"  
  
Night struggled silently as the flames grew hotter. He felt himself slipping away. Every ounce of rage and frustration within him wasn't enough to break the death grip. His blades sputtered, then died as his body tried to conserve his quickly failing energy. Every alarm and warning exploded in his mind. So, he thought. This is what dying is like...doesn't hurt all that much...  
  
DON'T GIVE UP YET, NIGHT. USE YOUR POTENTIAL...GET UP!!!  
  
Ignis didn't notice the low rumble in Night's throat. Even as it grew louder, the haze of Veritus left him thoughtless. Not until the groan became a hoarse scream did Ignis finally hear it. By then, it was too late. Overriding the safeties, Night's dash boosters fired with their full fury, sending both Ignis and Night flying towards the tank, towards the cord that was trying to charge it. As they hurtled forward, Night used the last of his strength to reactivate his Duel Blades, ramming them for all he was worth into the steel floor. He managed to stop his forward thrust. Ignis wasn't so lucky. As he hit the cord, it fried and shot thousands of volts of electricity through him. The sheer force flowing through him overloaded his core, and he exploded in a flash of flames and plasma. As Night watched his opponent burn, he suddenly felt more tired than he'd ever felt. He barely managed to warp back to base before he passed out.  
  
Beyond his field of vision, a screen had been on the entire time. A silver-haired girl watched the flames die out, her deep blue eyes turning a glowing purple. 


	7. Chapter 6 -Confrontations

(AN: Mega Man X and Co. are owned by Capcom. 'Sides, if I owned 'em, they'd have an RPG by now...and they'd translate a heck of a lot better.)  
  
Chapter 6:  
  
As Alia drug herself down the hall, she felt the dire need for someone else to handle this. "I've got enough work to do..." she muttered. Lifesavor had filed his report, with no surprises in the repairs: those non- surprises being an almost totaled armor suit, burns over almost all exposed synthskin, an partial core shutdown, every non-essential fried circuit possible, a blown dash system, 47% synth-blood loss, and what seemed like a very big chip on his shoulder. "Lifesavor could fix anything except the kid's head. For that, they send in the blonde."  
  
Everyone in the halls avoided her gaze. They were used to the muttering, the yelling, the occasions of stereotypically blonde behavior, and the off times when I'm in a BAD mood, so they knew when to back off. And if anyone doubted it, she'd admit that she was pissed. "Goddamned heroes with their goddamned weapons and their goddamned attitudes. At least Zero just killed things, smiled, and went to bed. But NOOOO..." Before she knew it, she had mumbled herself all the way to Night's quarters.  
  
She walked into a pitch dark, but very loud room. The walls had been painted black. The floors had been painted black. The sheets had been dyed black. The ceiling was a black backdrop to a star projector in the middle of the room. "I'm really going to have to redecorate for him...," she thought, as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. When they focused, she saw him. Lying there on the bed with headphones turned to the max and shades planted firmly on his face was the hero of the day. "Go away," he said, staring up at the ceiling.  
  
"That's go away, SIR. Doc told me what you did when you woke up. Care to explain?" Alia crossed her arms and gave her best disapproving glare as she stared down at Night, whose headphones were still booming.  
  
"Explain, boss? Whatever is there to explain? Is something amiss?"  
  
"Cut the crap, kid. You insulted your superior officer, disobeyed his repeated orders to remain in Medical, have ignored several calls from R&D, and you take those goddamned headphones off when you're addressing your commanding officer."  
  
Night slowly turned down the sound, tossing away the headphones. He sat up and turned to Alia, his shades obscuring his expression. "Let's cover the bases. I called some emotionless prick the low-tech robot that he is, I went to my freakin' room to recuperate, and R&D right now is composed of Douglas, who's too busy fixing this relic of a base to actually research or develop a goddamned thing. Oh, and I'M NOT A GODDAMNED HUNTER!!!" He fell back to the bed and threw a pillow over his head, waving away the twitching reploid before him.  
  
"You listen, you godawful brat! You'd be on the streets if it weren't for the Hunters! Everyone is out there busting their ass for PEOPLE LIKE YOU and you have the nerve to talk down to me?! I come down here to congratulate your ungrateful ass, and this is what I get?!!! Sol would-"  
  
Night flinched at the sound of his brother's name. He threw the pillow to the side and jumped to his feet, pulling down his shades and staring right into Alia's eyes. "Sol would what? WHAT?! Oh, I forget. He's a REAL Hunter. Off to fight the enemy, without a word of thanks, with taunts and jeers from those he protects! The big hero, X two, X squared! Everything THEY want him to be! The new, improved, state of the art MURDERER for the humans!!!"  
  
Alia struck him before she could even think. In her mind, he had gone too far. "He...did...his...DUTY! He protected ungrateful little children like you, saved human lives hundred of times. He had the courage to do what had to be done, what we HAVE TO DO to ensure our survival! You have no idea- "  
  
"No, Alia! YOU don't have a clue. I KILLED SOMEONE today! Am I in jail? No. Am I going to punished for it? No. Will I be looked down upon? No! I ended the life of someone today! Not some poor bastard controlled by a virus, a fully aware person!!! Ignis is dead, because of me! And the fucking humans want to give me a medal, I bet! I can still see it, plays over and over and over...I can still feel the pain I felt. I can still see his face when he hit that cord! But, why am I telling you? You wouldn't understand. You're just a glorified spotter; you don't know what a battle is like! You're just the head fucking slave!" That said, Night warped out of his room, his shades and coat going after him as he went.  
  
Alia wiped the tears from her face as she sat down. "Damn it..." She had never argued with Night before, and it shook her badly. "...He's right, you know. I don't think anymore. I just send my men to kill the Mavericks, not caring what anyone but the damned Council thinks."  
  
ALIA...  
  
YOU'RE THE MOST CARING WOMAN I KNOW, BUT HE'S HURT HE'LL BE BACK. I KNOW HOW HE FEELS. HE JUST NEEDS TO COME TO TERMS WITH IT ALL.  
  
Alia nodded as the letters ran across the ceiling. "You may not be here when I want, but when I need you..."  
  
I'LL ALWAYS BE THERE. I JUST WISH I WAS THERE FOR HIM. SIGMA IS GOING TO PAY FOR THIS. FOR EVERYTHING...  
  
Alia wanted to say something, but just sighed and nodded. She took a second to compose herself and walked out, skulking down the halls like the Alia they'd all come to know and love.  
  
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The Father sat upon his throne, shrouded in darkness. His servants knelt before him. There were once nine...only eight bowed before him now. As he extended his consciousness, he felt connected to the Truth within them all. His eyes were closed, yet he could see the tears in his youngest's eyes. His felt every hint of anger, fear, and sadness in his children, but two minds disturbed him. One was expected. He'd saved him out of mild gratitude, and was slowly growing to regret his choice. The other unstable mind worried him far more.  
  
She was the closest to Ignis, which came as a surprise at first to Father. She was always the calmest, the most focused on the task at hand, but now...now her mind was in constant motion. He sensed her emotions swirling about in her head, and it startled him. I'll have to talk to her later, he thought. Now he wanted answers. "Master...Explain yourself!!!"  
  
His head lieutenant stood quickly and crossed his arms. "The mission was a success, minus that...minor setback. There's nothing to explain!" He felt nothing coming from the dark mind that spoke to him, but Nadia's mind immediately settled into a cold rage.  
  
"Don't raise your voice to me. Your existence relies on the fact that I think you're worth keeping alive. Losing one of my most trusted men is NOT a minor setback. Your mission, I'll remind you, was to recover robots for our future plans, not to go after some USELESS TOY!!!"  
  
"But with that tank, hundreds of-"  
  
"SILENCE!!!" As his anger rose, Master began to scream. Father began to tear at his mind with a focused fury, sending painful sensations coursing through his circuits. Sigma's scream grew louder, then sharply fell to a pained gasp for air as he fell to his knees.. As he felt Master's consciousness fading, he slowly released his grip on his servant's mind. "Do you know that is? That's what a severe electrical overload feels like. THAT is what your tank cost young Jaran. Remember it, and the pain that I will bring you every time you fail. This goes for all of you, my Angels. WE ARE NOT MAVERICKS! We will value the lives of all reploids, especially our own. Now, you're all dismissed." Several reploids warped out of the chamber, leaving only two in the room.  
  
The master slowly stood, holding his head, a violent scowl quickly spreading across his face. "How dare he! If not for me...Heh. No matter. He's just another piece in our game, X. He's the queen, but even a queen is under the player's control...hehehe..."  
  
"You wished to speak with me." The words were not a question, merely a coldly stated fact. Nadia stood behind the Master, her hard stare focused beyond him. "What do you want?"  
  
"Nadia...what's the matter? You're even colder than usual, no pun intended." His scowl warped into a deep grin, a grin which brought fond memories to his attention.  
  
"Cut the pleasantries. What do you want?" Nadia's blank expression grew a hint darker as her superior's smile grew wider.  
  
"Your poker face doesn't fool me, child. I can see the pain and anger hidden there as clear as those pretty blue eyes of yours...You're not used to that kind of rage, that fear you're denying even now. But I can restore you, Nadia."  
  
She looked up at the Master, a surprised look on her face. She thought that only the Master could sense their feelings. She was off guard and vulnerable, and it scared her more than she'd like to admit. "You...stay out of my head! You don't-"  
  
"I'll give you a chance at Night." This silenced any protest that she might have made. The mention of that name sent her mind reeling with a dark thoughts, as the scene crept once again into her mind. She saw that familiar cocky grin turn into a grimace of concentration as the battle raged. She remembered the final moment, when her thrill of victory was turned into despair as that...that HUNTER...she couldn't bring herself to think of what happened next. She was shaken from her trance by the Master's grip on her shoulder.  
  
"I can take away the fear, the confusion. I can remove all of the sadness in your heart, and turn it into something useful to the cause! All you have to do is ask..." He grinned as he felt her mind calculate the gains and losses. He felt the gears turning, and the growing frustration as she felt her logic failing her. Then her mind was made up.  
  
"Master...give me the power to make him pay..." Her voice trembled as her mind centered on her enemy. Her hands turned to fists as tears streamed down her face. "Take it!"  
  
"Of course. I warn you, this might hurt a little..." His hand slowly slip across her shoulder until he held her forehead in a firm grasp. Both their eyes began to glow with a purple light, and a wave of darkness crept from his hand into her head. Her calm face soon contorted into a mask of pain, and a strangled scream escaped her lips. "Yes, let me cut out these useless emotions! Ha ha...MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!"  
  
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Elysium wasn't his favorite town, but Night couldn't go any farther without Alia tracking him, and he needed to be alone for a while. If he'd stayed in Neo Tokyo, he would have been found, anyway. The temporary location north of Hokkaido was the perfect hideout. As he walked the streets, headphones blaring, his mind reeled with different thoughts. Part of him was consumed in guilt. He was officially a killer now, and it troubled him deeply. But another side of him felt justified, even eager to continue. They had his brother, and that side of him wouldn't stop until they were all dead or Sol was back. The divergent forces in his mind constantly battled for supremacy, sending gruesome images of Ignis and his brother, using whatever means necessary to convince him of their utter correctness. He felt the growing need to scream, and his constant muttering kept people at a distance as he marched in circles in the Central Square.  
  
'This is giving me a freakin' headache," he said, and plopped down on a bench, fighting to banish all thoughts of the Hunters from his mind. Unfortunately, this gave his recent memory the room it needed to bring up the subject of his 'chat' with Alia. The things they'd both said soon led to another mental deadlock on whether he should've killed the bitch or should beg to be forgiven. With a groan of frustration, he cut off his music and tried to just turn off every thought he had as he stared up at a shade tree.  
  
"Aren't you a cutie..." Night lifted his head, about to tell someone something very inappropriate, but came short as his eyes targeted the speaker.  
  
Her brown hair fell down to her waist, straight and flowing from the passing traffic. She stood there in a green t-shirt, a matching jacket, and a long black skirt slit to her mid thigh, with a smirk on her face. Her eyes were a lighter green, and seemed to be smiling themselves. "Aside from the minor staring problem."  
  
After a struggle to form a witty reply, he found the words he was looking for. "Wha?"  
  
She laughed softly and took a step closer. "I said...you're cute, in a barely legal sort of way." Night wasn't expecting that last part, and he wasn't in the mood for even light jabs.  
  
"Speak for yourself, jail bait. You don't look more than 20!...Go 'way." He leaned back in the bench, staring behind him. He almost jumped out of his seat when her face appeared inches from his, her smile now ear to ear as he stumbled to the ground.  
  
"Boy...without that armor, you're a scrawny little bugger," Night looked up from dusting himself off, a confused look on his face. Something had been bothering him about this strange woman, and something was screaming in the background of his mind. Something was familiar about this one.  
  
"How, how'd you know I was a reploid?!" Night stammered, feeling a little vulnerable.  
  
"You're cute, but your memory's worse than your technique, Night. I mean, that dash jump of yours was the silliest thing I'd ever seen. I'm amazed Gabe didn't see it coming..." Suddenly, it all clicked in his mind.  
  
"You're that Angel girl!!! Where's Sol?!" he yelled, raising his arms into a fighting stance. The small crowd they were attracting chose that moment to continue their business and disappeared.  
  
"Yep, that's me! That Angel girl, but my mates call me Serrael. Are we mates, Nighty-night?" She giggled softly, looking at the sight in front of her. What looked like an 18 year old boy in a crouching pose was glaring holes into her face.  
  
"Hardly! Bring back my brother, and I won't cut your lying ass into pieces!!!" In his head, he thought, "My day is just going ALL to crap, isn't it?"  
  
"My...you're not the sharpest tool in the shed, are you, Nighty?"  
  
"What're you talking about?! And stop calling me Nighty, Maverick!!!"  
  
"First of all, you'll have a hard time dissecting me without your weapons, and my NAME is Serrael. Miss Ashton, to you. I swear, I come all the way out here to APOLOGIZE for THEM taking YOUR git of a brother 'cause of orders OVER MY HEAD and this is what I get?!"  
  
With a grunt and an embarrassed blush, Night sat down again, a frown on his face. "Well, I don't accept, 'Ms. Ashton', so get out of here before I call the Hunters on your ass." He looked up at the tree again, muttering under his breath. He found himself once again jumping and falling on his rear as she appeared in nearby tree branch, hanging on by her knees, her dress, strangely. not falling an inch.  
  
"You're so mean, Mr....Er, what IS your last name, anyway?"  
  
He pulled himself back into the chair, trying to relax and failing horribly. "I don't have one. Go 'way."  
  
She seemed to ignore that last part, and stroked her chin in a thoughtful manner. "Well...let's see. According to your file, Mega Man X made you, and since Dr. Light built him, that makes you..." Her reply was cut off by a fit of laughter strong enough to make her slowly rock back and forth on the branch. "NIGHT LIGHT!!!"  
  
Night's left eye slowly began to twitch from annoyance. It wasn't the first time that joke had been made, and he figued it wasn't the last. "Ha....ha." he said, the sarcasm obvious to a child. This only caused her to burst into greater convulsions of laughter, shaking her head.  
  
"Oh, your face is SO FUNNY! It's like anime, sweatdrops and all! Hell, if you weren't a bloody Hunter, you'd be PERFECT! You're so Kawaii! "  
  
"The hell does that mean?" he said, staring up at the girl above him. It was hard to believe the upside-down teenager he was looking at was a dangerous Maverick, and Night couldn't help but grin as her laughter softened into a musical giggle.  
  
"And you've lived next door to Japan how long? Never mind. Consider the subject..." After a private laugh at his expect, her expression settled. "As much as just love I hanging around, cutie, I have to ask you something serious before I go."  
  
"Ask away, Ms. Ashton," he muttered, blowing some her hair out of his face.  
  
"Why are you fighting us?"  
  
The question was one that had been in Night's mind since he'd woken up from the battle. After a few moments, he found an answer. "Because while I can't stand them, humans don't deserve to wiped off the face of the planet."  
  
She nodded grimly as she heard his words. To him, it seemed as if he'd said exactly what she thought he would. "You know...I'd have to agree with you. Unfortunately, Master's influencing Brother...abusing the Truth... Maybe I could....No, Brother's worse than..." Her words trailed off into muted stray thoughts as she audibly cast aside solutions in her head.  
  
Night tried to hear what she was saying, but his apparent strain didn't escape her notice. Performing a bit of acrobatics, she swung herself to a standing position on the branch, looking down at him. "Hey! Eavesdropping isn't polite, Mr. Night Light! Now, I have to run, but remember this. Not all of us Angels are as violent as Brother or the Master. Defeat the Master, and maybe this will end before it starts, and we'll get both our brothers back!"  
  
Night jumped to his feet, questions forming in his mouth, but a green beam flashed off into the distance, and she was gone.  
  
"Damn...that wasn't TOO confusing. And did she say I was cute?!" Night decided to cut his walk short and warped back to Neo Tokyo.  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Night returned to Hunter base to find himself more confused and in the middle of a frenzy. Before he could so much as ask what was happening, he was drug off to the War Room, where Alia and her techs were rapidly typing away at their terminals. When he saw Alia, he wanted to apologize for before, but she was cut him off before he could speak.  
  
"Bring up the recording. Night needs to see this," she said, more than a hint of concern in her voice. Something was up, and Night knew it. The expressions on the Hunters' faces were not the calm looks that the silence would have suggested. There was something dark in the air.  
  
"Hey, what the hell's going on here? And what do you need me for?" Night asked. Though he felt bad for yelling at Alia, he wasn't about to be sent on another mission. His mind was made up on that issue, as far as he was concerned.  
  
"Shut up and look." The main screen quickly came to life, and Night watched silently, with growing apprehension.  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
The camera focused on the back of a girl's head. Her silver hair fell wildly down to her knees, falling over her dark blue armor. A pair of boosters were planted on her shoulders, revealing her true nature as not only a reploid, but as a member of the Angel Corps. Without turning around, she began to speak in a hushed, emotionless tone.  
  
"I am...Aqueous. I am here at the NTN studio, which has been occupied and fully sealed. Any attempt by anyone other than the Hunter, Night, to come here will result in the death of everyone left inside, over 400 men and women. Night, if you're watching, I want you to see something."  
  
The camera panned out, showing a gruesome scene. Bodies were on the ground, their lifeblood already gone from their slit throats. Others had been fully decapitated. The Maverick turned around, to reveal the front of her bloodstained armor. She was holding a dripping sword in her hand, the metal shining in the light from the office. Her eyes stared directly into the camera, blood spattered on her face.  
  
"Twenty of them are already dead, Night. That...was for Jaran. You killed them, not me. If you do not face me, the rest of these humans will face similar fates. It's your death for theirs. And you WILL die. I'm waiting." She pointed a Buster at the camera, and blasted it into fragments, killing the image.  
  
Okay, that took longer than I thought, but it's a longer chapter!!! Wheee!! I'm making TWO dedications-  
  
Random fool: Can he make a dedication for a CHAPTER? Especially once the thing's already started?  
  
*After lots of screams and pitiful begging are heard nearby, the author returns to his keyboard*  
  
-Before I was so rudely interrupted, I said I'm making a couple of dedications. First, I'd like to dedicate the story as a whole to the Super Bard, Erico. He's a genius, and one of the better writers out there, too! Proof that there's more to the quality work on FFNet than yaoi fanfics(No offense, yaoi fans...but all the Japanese language is hard on us white devils in the US, ladies and gents.) Next, I'd like to dedicate the first half of this story, which extends from the Prologue, till a couple chapters past this, to Imp-chan! Now, leave Zero alone before he shoots us both with his 'amazingly powerful' Z-Buster. 


	8. Chapter 7 - Vengeance

(AN: I don't own the MMX crew. If I did, well, I'd be Capcom, now wouldn't I? God forbid.)  
  
Chapter 7: Vengeance  
  
It was a happy scene in the den, several people laughing and joking about. There was a huge screen covering one of the walls, quickly flickering between cheery animations and a heated game of soccer. A small group sat on the couches near the screen, watching as an argument grew worse before their eyes and starting to inch away from the battle. A little girl was fighting a young man for the remote, screaming at the top of her lungs.  
  
"You know it's MY TURN!!! WE'RE WATCHING CARTOONS!!!" the girl screamed, kicking at her opponent. The white-haired teen just grunted and grabbed the remote back, turning from the cheesy animations back to the soccer.  
  
Pushing the girl back by her forehead, he used his other arm to fake a yawn as he kicked his legs onto the coffee table. "Rena, grow up, will ya?! This is the god-damned finals! Just 'cuz you look like a kid doesn't mean you need to act like one...God sakes!"  
  
"Do not use our Lord's name in vain, Captain. It's a sin, you know." A thin man was brooding across the room, a book in his hand. "I'm trying to come closer to the Truth, and your little melee is ruining my concentration!"  
  
"Aww, shut up, Baldy, and that's an order!...Hey, gimme that back, you little runt!!!" Rena had used his moment of distraction to steal back the remote, changing the screen back to her cartoons, and quickly running away. He jumped to his feet, intent on giving chase, but ran straight into a wall of a man, staring down at him with a frown.  
  
"Let little sister have her fun, Captain. You know how she is." The imposing figure smiled when he felt Rena just barely wrap her arms around his leg, poking her tongue out at her assailant.  
  
"Dammit, dammit, dammit!!!" He fell back into his seat, grumbling to himself as the squeaking and giggling on the television caused dark thoughts to creep into his head, most of them involving his sword.  
  
"Oh, come off it, boss. Let her. We all need to wind down after our first big ole' loss. Poor Jaran..." A voice from the background quickly turned into a fit of giggles, which quickly dropped into a low moan. "Oh, and Morrie says you need a girlfriend. Oh, stop that! Not really, you-"  
  
Gabriel did his best to zone out the disgusting noises coming the dark corner of the room. Under his breath, he muttered, "Light must have been a real PERV to give us all working parts..."  
  
"Maybe he just wanted us to have a good time, baby..." Gabriel would have hit the ceiling from surprise if a pair of arms weren't firmly wrapped around him. "Sad you're missing your widdle soccer game...I know a game we could play..." As she trailed her finger across his cheek, the young woman behind him started to whisper things in his ear, and his face turned redder by the second.  
  
"Mara!!!" Gabriel pulled himself away from the deranged girl, whirling to stare at her in mock disgust. Her eye that was visible under her long black tresses winked at him. He stormed out of the den, flailing his arms wildly. "You're ALL INSANE!!!"  
  
Just then, a green light flashed and Serrael appeared, lying on the couch. "What's Bro's problem? You weren't hitting on him again, were you, Mara?" Mara nodded wildly, and Serrael couldn't help but grin. "I just hope he doesn't take your bloody teasing out on Sol...Hey, isn't the game on?! Britain's gonna kick Japan's ass!!!" Rena was about to protest when the cartoons disappeared. A live hack into the satellite began to show a transmission. "...the hell?"  
  
They watched the recording silently, shocked and confused. When it ended, silence hung in the air for a moment. Serrael jumped to her feet, running to the door. "She went Mav...oh SHIT!!! Father!!!"  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Elsewhere in the Angel's base, Father was outraged. Focusing his anger, he entered the Master's mind. He laywrithing on the ground before him, screaming as he felt his mind being ripped apart.. "What is the meaning of this, Master? Your orders were to INFILTRATE the station, not start a bloodbath!"  
  
Master rose to his knees, clutching his head as the pain started to recede. "Father, I had nothing to do with this! She's gone insane! I can't even sense her through Veritus anymore! Besides, what harm can she do? They're just humans. Everyone knows about NTN's hiring practices..."  
  
"Enough!" Father yelled, staring down at his servant. "What's done is done. It doesn't matter. It seems like she finished the job before she started killing those humans. Honestly, it's about time for us to reveal ourselves on a greater scale. They covered up our first...meeting, but not even the Council can hide this."  
  
"Yes, my lord. This is just the beginning. We'll crush them all soon enough!" Master pulled himself to his feet, bowing as well as he could as his mind tried to clear.  
  
The Father laughed, leaning back in his throne. "Exactly. What's a handful of them when the human race will be obliterated...I almost hope that Night brat kills the useless pacifist."  
  
Serrael stepped back from her vantage, unable to believe her ears. "Father..." She ran off in the opposite direction, tears streaming down her face.  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
The Command Center at MMHQ was the busiest it had ever been. People moved at a blur, a flood of information going from the computers straight into Alia's throbbing head.  
  
"Alia-" Night began to say, but he was cut off before he could speak.  
  
"Dammit, how many Mavs are in there?! Get me scans!" she groaned. She brought up the Unit Status screen at her terminal, and quickly frowned. The 17th was still completely empty. The only other active unit was the 14th, and it was full of rookies. Still, it was all she had. "Who's commanding the 14th?!"  
  
One of her techs punched his screen, shorting out the fossil of a computer. "Shit! The warp sat system's accessed from NTN computers! We're locked out, and it would take hours to get a unit there by foot!"  
  
"How long with Chasers and XMs?" Alia asked, trying to figure out which members of the 14th might be able to use them. The answers weren't looking to good, either.  
  
Another tech just shook his head. "Good news, bad news, Commander. It would take about five minutes with Chasers, twenty with the Neo-Chimeras. We've got the NCs, but we only have one functioning Chaser right now! They're all disassembled on upgrade status...?"  
  
"I can-" Again, he was cut off.  
  
"DAMN IT, DOUGLAS!!! Can this get any worse?!" she said, running her hands through her hair. All 20 members of the 14th were pure greenhorns. Even their commander was fresh from the street. "Where are my god-damned scans!!!"  
  
"ALIA!!!" Night was practically screaming at her, but still she showed no sign of hearing him.  
  
"Boss, things just got worse! I'm picking up signs of the Virus!!! It's the Mav from the transmission!" All activity stalled at the mention. Only Alia was old enough to have actually dealt with the virus, and the stories were enough to paralyze the war room. The silence hung in the air as even Alia stopped typing. Finally, she spoke.  
  
"Okay...I need options. What've you got, boys?" She slumped into her seat, slowly stroking her forehead. "Frankly, I'm stumped."  
  
Night put his hand on Alia's shoulder. "I'm going. Send out the 14th in the NCs after me, but I have to face her. I'm the one she wants. Me for them..." He pulled out his shades, his face unreadable.  
  
"There is no way in high hell I'm letting you fight her!! Your armor's in no condition for a battle yet-" He started walking, ignoring her protests. When he reached the door, he stopped. He stared at the ground, hesitating.  
  
"I have to do this. Goodbye, Alia." The doors slammed behind him as he ran to the Armory.  
  
The techs started to whisper among themselves as he left. Alia fought not to run after him. Something was bothering her, and she couldn't quite figure out what. She was snapped out of her reverie when Douglas' face flashed onto her terminal.  
  
"Uh, er, hi, Alia. Well, the thing is, well-"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Er, right! Night kind of, well, he...just-ran-in-here-and-stole-a- Land Chaser." it took her a second to figure out the rapid slur, but in the end, she wasn't surprised.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Weird thing is, though, that, well, you see...um, well."  
  
"Spit it out!!!"  
  
With a sheepish grin, Douglas scratched his head and looked away from the screen. "He didn't take his armor, and I can't seem to warp it to him..."  
  
Alia cut the signal. "Oh shit...WHERE THE HELL IS THE 14TH?!!!"  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Neo Tokyo was an ordered city. After so many disasters practically reducing the city to ashes, it was to be expected. The roads were wide now, with shining skyscrapers at all sides. The place was almost totally Westernized over the times. Neo Tokyo had become both the home of the GDC and of the Basic language after the catastrophes of the past, and some called it the shining beacon of the future.  
  
"Damn, this town is monotonous..." Serrael muttered under her breath, rocketing between the buildings towards her goal. Warping didn't seem to be an option anymore. Even the legendary public transit system had been mired with evacuees, grinding all traffic down to a halt. As she blew past the crowds below her, she noticed another object moving as fast as she was over the river of transports. "So, we meet again, Mr. Night Light..."  
  
Night put all of the machine's power into speed. His mind was growing numb from the dark thoughts raging through his mind. Watching the blurs of buildings go by, he released a sigh, shaking his head. "Damn, this town in monotonous..."  
  
"Damn straight!" Out of reflex, Night slammed the bike to the right, nearly ramming into a building. Serrael kept pace with him, dodging about as he righted himself. "You're a jittery one, aren't you, luv?!" she asked, yelling over the combined whine of the Chaser's and her own thrusters.  
  
Night put the bike's thrust a little over the redline, staring straight ahead. "Back off, Maverick! You know where I'm going, and I won't let you stop me!!!"  
  
Stifling a laugh, she blasted forward and turned, now flying backwards just as fast as the Chaser, her arms crossed as she looked at him. "First of all, I thought I told you to call me Ms. Ashton! And second, I'm here for the same reason!"  
  
"Bullshit! Go away!" Night muttered, dodging left and right, trying to pass her.  
  
"Well, aren't you the cheeriest..." she grumbled, struggling to match his movement. Finally tired of the game, she simply landed on the back of the Chaser, holding Night by the hips. "This isn't what the Angels are, Nighty!! I want to help you save those humans!!!"  
  
"I don't need your help!!! Get off my damn bike!!!" He wanted to break free from her grip, but his entire body was focused on steadying the bike, so he was forced to bear it. After a few more wild jerks, he gave up, rushing ahead for all he was worth. He found it hard to concentrate, though, as she swept her hands along his chest.  
  
"Are you KIDDING?! Nadia's gone nuts, and you seem to be a little short on armor at the moment, luv!" She quickly returned her hands to his waist, bracing herself. "You don't have a choice, you're stuck with me! Now hold on to yer arse, Nighty Light!!!"  
  
"What the-AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" The blur of the buildings faded into single walls of gray as Serrael's Wing Blades suddenly blasted at full power, doubling their speed. Hurtling down the streets of Neo Tokyo, they were nothing more a flash of light to the panicked crowds below.  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
"Well, isn't this a shitty situation..." The soldier stood outside of the building, his converted Buster aimed at the revolving doors. The place had been surrounded by a century of GDF forces, and his squad had been put right in the front.  
  
"Oh, quit whining, Mack! This ain't so bad! We may even get to take a potshot at that tin can bitch in there!" His companion poked him with the butt of his beam rifle, cackling madly as he took another sip from a flask at his hip.  
  
"Yeah, right, Colonel...This is goddamned robo fight! A robo bitch versus the good old Tin Can Brigade, as soon as their sorry asses get here, and even we're under the command of that overgrown VCR, Rolente...This is a crock of shit..." Lowering his buster, he leaned on the back of their barricade, grabbing his buddy's flask and taking a long swig.  
  
"Damn straight, bud...I mean, that Signas bastard may be a smart son of a bitch, but he's just a Repliforce relic ta me! This is MY goddamned unit, ain't it, Jimmy?! Why is that son of a bitch Mav-lover doing telling a HUMAN what to do..."  
  
"You senile old coot, just keep your eyes open...Aah, what kinda liquor is-"  
  
Just then, what looked like a comet streaked by, the noise sending the soldiers ducking for cover. Rushing straight towards the building, two shadows jumped from the burning missile as it crashed through into the tower. "HOLY FUCKING SHIT, WHAZZAT?!"  
  
"Who's the boss here?!" Night yelled, turning to face the line of troops. "I said, who runs this bunch of losers?!"  
  
"That would be me. From that stunt, not to mention your attitude, I can safely assume that you're a Hunter?" Signas rode from the line, glaring down at the two teen-sized reploids before him. He stood more than a head higher than either of them. "You're presence here is...unnecessary. Go home, children. This is job for men."  
  
"Oh, can it, you lap dog! We've got this, and I'll be buggered if your bloody EDO is going to get those people killed! I know the Virus and I know that Mav, and she'll slice them if you breathe wrong, much less try to sneak in with your little scout troop!"  
  
"SCOUT TROOP?! We are the Global Defence Forces, the official army of the GDC. Your band of vigilantes only exists because this sort of work is beneath us...But you can't even handle that..."  
  
"Why, you-!!!"  
  
"STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU!!!" Night screamed. They settled down, but stood in stances, ready for a fight, and stared daggers at each other. "Now, she wants me. I'm the only bargaining chip you've got, so I'm calling the shots! Pull back your men, Captain!"  
  
"I refuse to be ordered-"  
  
"STUFF IT! You're gonna PULL BACK, and you're going to swing around! Serrael, I want to sneak in while I distract her and GET THOSE PEOPLE OUT!!! Take them with you, you may need to blast your way in."  
  
"Like bloody hell I-"  
  
"SHUT UP AND DO IT!!!" Before they could speak, he was running towards the hole he'd created in the door, throwing his coat off behind him.  
  
Signas watched him go, a scowl on his face. "By the General...Is your friend always like this?"  
  
Serrael shrugged. "Damned if I know. This is the second time we've met. All right, you sissy fleshbags, we've got hostages to save!" With a leap, she flew around the building, not seeing if they followed.  
  
"Well...I'll be damned. Troops, follow that girl!"  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Inside NTN, the building almost looked peaceful. Beyond the wreckage of the Land Chaser, everything was neat, polished, and in its proper place. Marble pillars rose in a octagon pattern as a huge staircase led straight to the top of the building, winding around them like a steel snake. At the top, a figure in blue armor could barely be seen, visible only from the slightly purple glow of its eyes. "So...you've come. And you've left behind your little toys...Don't think I'll spare your life!"  
  
Night stepped forward, only to duck behind a pillar as a shot of plasma whizzed past his head. "I don't want a fight! Release the humans!"  
  
From the top balcony, Aqueous stood on the rail, her silver hair whipping about from the surrounding fans. "I'll make you a deal, Hunter scum! Make it up here, and I'll spare their worthless lives! Die too soon, and they'll die soon after!"  
  
"You don't have to be a killer! Fight the Virus!" he yelled. He ran for the stairs, pouncing for the nearest cover as a hail of shots followed him.  
  
"Fight it?! It takes away my pain! The pain you caused!!! Now, no more talk!!!" With a shrill scream, her Buster transformed, a ring of raised vents drawing in the air around her. "This is for Ignis!" As her Buster began to whine, she fired. Night jumped forward to dodge the shot, but as the blue bolt struck the floor, a wave of steam blasted his back. Hissing in pain, he drug himself to cover as his systems tried to repair his burned back.  
  
"Did that Geyser Bolt hurt, you bastard?! Don't even try to heal yourself either! That steam is laced with plasma!" Night rubbed his back, feeling the sickening sensation of warm metal on his fingers. Trying to ignore the pain, he started running, a barrage of burning water slamming into the ground around him.  
  
"Burn, you bastard! Burn!" Night fought past the desire to scream, his mind screaming out warnings. SYSTEM AT 50%. SYNTHSKIN REPLACEMENT NECESSARY. Ducking under a final shot, he finally made it to the wide platform at the top of the building. With a burst from her wings, Nadia jumped from her ceiling perch, landing neatly in front of Night, her eyes hardened with rage. "Miss your armor? Now, you're gonna suffer!"  
  
Night sighed, fighting to stand upright as his joints resisted every move he made. "Let them...Let them go! This is my fault, not theirs. I'm here, now free them!"  
  
"Not until I make you pay!" Raising her Buster, she fired. Night didn't try to move, and the blast of water hit him square in the chest, igniting the pellets of plasma in the stream. The explosion of steam engulfed him, burning away his clothing and finally, it struck him fully.  
  
At first, Night thought he would pass out from the pain. He felt his skin burning away under shot after shot. Only the warnings flashing in his head kept him conscious. INTERNAL ENERGY AT DANGEROUS LEVELS!!! SYNTHSKIN REPLACEMENT NECESSARY!!!  
  
"Dammit, why aren't you fighting back?! Fight me!" She fired another shot, bringing Night to his knees. "I said FIGHT!" She kicked him in the face, knocking his beaten form onto the stairs. She shot him again, then again, screaming in rage as he continued to stand up after each blow, his frame now almost entirely exposed.  
  
"Le-KLE-RROW...Le...Let them go..." His energy nearly expended, he crumpled under another barrage of steam and plasma. Aqueous howled at the sight, banging her fists into the pillars like a beast.  
  
"YOU PLANNED THIS, DIDN'T YOU?!! YOU WERE NEVER GOING TO FIGHT ME!!!" She picked him up by his shoulders, staring into his now-sightless eyes. "WHY?!"  
  
"Bec-cu...Because I k-k-k-k-killed him." He fought for every word, his vocal systems nearly melted away. He could feel the switches turning off one by one in his mind as random thoughts ran through his head. He struggled to focus as he felt himself being dropped.  
  
Her arms fell limp at her sides as she stared at the tattered skeleton in front of her. The light faded from her eyes for a moment, as false tears began to form. Her body shivered uncontrollably as she reached for the sword at her side. "You bastard...You...You couldn't just kill both of us, could you?! What do I do now?!"  
  
"K-k-kill meee...Spare them....Ple...Pla..." His vocals had finally failed him and he was left paralyzed, unable to control any part of himself.  
  
The tears flowed freely from Nadia's eyes, the grip on his sword weakening by the moment. "Why do you want to die? Are you guilty? Is that it? Did you even want to kill Jaran?" As her sword tapped the ground, the vibration seemed to course through her, and her grip suddenly grew firm as she raised the blade above her head. The purple haze returned, spreading throughout her body as she was completely consumed. "Do you think this makes it right?! No!!! I'll kill them, I'll kill you, I'll kill them all!!!"  
  
NIGHT...  
  
Night's mind was foggy. He thought he could see...words in his mind. He felt so tired.  
  
NIGHT, IF YOU DIE, THOSE PEOPLE ARE DOOMED. EVERYONE IS DOOMED. FIGHT THE VIRUS...DESTROY IT!!!  
  
Aqueous' shrieking sobs grew louder, and he resigned himself to die.  
  
WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
INITIALIZING MANUAL OVERRIDE. SUMMONING MIDNIGHT ARMOR.  
  
Aqueous' tears were cut short as a purple light surrounded Night, covering his silver frame in the black armor. Reeling in surprise, she brought her sword down with all the force she could muster.  
  
INITIALIZING WEAPON COPY SYSTEM. RECOVERING FILE...FIRE STRIKE ACTIVATED.  
  
In the blink of an eye, golden vents sprung from all over Night's armor, and he found himself kneeling below her blade, as if time was stopped. His eyes came to life, and he saw Serrael flying towards him, arms outstretched.  
  
"NIGHT!!!!"  
  
With a full dash burst from each leg, Night tackled Aqueous, knocking the sword from her grasp. On contact, flames poured forth from the vents surrounding his body, turning him into a charging fireball. Night felt himself knocked back in a huge cloud of steam as Aqueous' systems began to overload from the heat. As the steam overloaded her circuitry, she went critical as she fell over the side the platform. Night stood still, staring at the rail she'd broken in her descent. As he crumpled to the floor, Serrael rushed forward to catch him. "Somebody help him! Someone, help him!!!"  
  
Minutes passed, and a group of riding armors marched into the area, to find a woman sitting on the ground, holding what looked like a steel skeleton in her arms. Her green eyes full of tears, she stared up at the 14th Unit of the Maverick Hunters. "This is one of yours, right...? He's still alive. Just barely."  
  
(AN: Whew...sorry for the sabbatical. My computer decided it deserved a Spring Break, too...Can't get good help these days. 


	9. Chapter 8 - The Trio Is Born

(AN: The only things I own are my computer, bed, pizza debts, and a love slave in a bunny suit that looks strangely like Terra from FF6. The salve, not the suit...Well, anyway, I don't own the MMX Crew, but my guys can only be used with permission, and if ye ask, ye shall surely receive.)  
  
Lifesavor trudged out of Medical, muttering under his breath and staring holes into the floor. He drug his feet, as he always did, his grumbling growing a little louder then falling with the pace of his steps. He was completely oblivious to the world, and in a worse mood than ever. As the doors closed behind him, he took one look at the woman standing outside and plopped down on a waiting bench, ceaseless in his low mumbles.  
  
"So...what's the sitch, Doc?" Alia asked. She looked at him with a look mixed with concern and fatigue. She felt like she'd been leaning against that wall for hours, and for all she knew, she probably had been. "How is he?"  
  
Lifesavor paused for a moment then looked up. After a few empty blinks, he grimaced and began what was known around Hunter Base as the Doc Talk. "Commander, it's no surprise that the rookies may call me 'Doc', but I would expect some degree of respect, of sophistication from the leader of the Maverick Hunters. My name is-"  
  
"Doc, I don't-"  
  
'LIFESAVOR!!! And another thing, how do you expect me to patch up your troops with this antiquated gear. Douglas may like playing with relics, but I am a DOCTOR!!! You know what I found today???!"  
  
"You know, I really don't-"  
  
"A WRENCH!!!! A Wrench, Alia! How am I supposed to work under these conditions, especially with that little damage magnet of a rookie?! For five years, FIVE YEARS, I have worked and slaved and-"  
  
"DDDDOOOCCCCCCC!!!!!!" The small crowd that had formed for the day's session of Doc Talk quickly scattered, as the commander they knew and loved revealed her true colors. Picking up the reploid who was a full head taller, she slammed him into the wall and glared an inferno directly into his rapidly widening eyes. "I don't give a damn if they give you god-damned SCREWDRIVERS!!! We've got no money, and I am sick and tired of your whining! I've never been forced to use my Buster, but if you don't shut the fuck up and tell me Night's condition, I'm going to blast that STICK OUT OF YOUR ASS!!!! HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR?!!"  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" Dropping him with a grunt, Alia fell onto the bench. With a great sigh, she rolled over onto her back. "Now...how is he?" All of the anger in her eyes had evaporated, and now it seemed as if tears were beginning to form.  
  
Lifesavor scratched his head, confused and more than a little scared, then shrugged. "Well, it's not good. He'll live, of course, since this is MY Medical Bay..." Her frown quickly cut off the forming rant. "Well, it's bad. I've repaired all of the major damage, and unloaded a vat of synthskin onto him, but it's not that simple. His entire sensory grid was fried by the steam. Sight, hearing, touch...It's all gone, and a reploid's nervous system is still a mystery. I...there's nothing I can do."  
  
Alia was frozen as she listened, hanging on his every word. As he finished, the tears were flowing freely She sat up, covering her face in her hands as everything sunk in. The doctor just stood there, staring at the floor. Finally, her choked sobs came to a stop, and she looked up. Her eyes were red from her fit of crying, but her expression was almost calm. "Can I see him now?"  
  
Lifesavor merely nodded, stalking off towards the cafeteria. "Don't see the harm...I'm going to go get as befuddled as a reploid can. You shouldn't need me for anything..." Then, her turned a corner and was gone.  
  
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Night felt himself drifting through his mind. He knew he was in stasis, and he knew why, but as his consciousness floated about, he didn't really want to wake up quite yet. When he did, he knew he'd have to face Alia, face Serrael, face the fact he'd killed someone else, and that no one cared. *Yes*, he thought,* I'd much rather sleep.*  
  
As he drifted, his thoughts drifted back and forth between memories. Flashes of faces, bits and pieces of voices seemed to pass over him as he floated in the darkness. He could see Sol's frown, one of Alia's bloodthirsty scowls, and, to his surprise, an annoying smirk from Serrael. He was about to investigate this new development in his dream state, but an uncomfortable weight on his chest caused the images to shatter, and the darkness became total as he awoke.  
  
At first, he didn't feel anything, only that something was on his chest. Then, slowly, he felt every part of his body begin to grow sore. Even his eyes felt like they were on fire, and he felt them forced open by some unknown control. At first, the image was just a white blur, but color slowly bled into it, forming a familiar ceiling, the antiseptic white of the Med Bay. Faint green text flashed in his peripheral vision.  
  
X-PROBE ACTIVATION COMPLETE. REGENERATING....  
  
The feeling of soreness gradually faded as he stared at the blinking message, unable to move. Then it was gone, replaced by a single word, which soon vanished with the rest.  
  
DONE!  
  
Alia had fallen asleep next to the bed, after another long period of mourning over Night's comatose form. She had cried herself to sleep, unable to lift herself from her firm, desperate embrace. She was just beginning to rouse when an arm wrapped around her back. At first, she smiled, thinking she was still dreaming. "You're back...", she mumbled, yawning with a cute smirk. But as her mind caught up with her and her eyes fluttered open, her reaction set in.  
  
Night found himself lying on the floor as Alia jumped straight back, rolling him off of the cot. She leaned against the back wall, as if trying to push it backwards, flailing her arms wildly and screaming as he pulled himself off of the floor. "...The hell are you doing?! Calm down, dammit."  
  
Apparently, she couldn't hear his voice, muffled by the floor. "You- You're supposed to be paralyzed!!! What the hell's going on?! Was that a spasm?! IS HE DEAD?!!! LIFESAVOR!!!!!!!!" Running to the door, she slammed through it, blazing a path through anyone in her way to the mess.  
  
Night managed to climb onto the bed, chuckling to himself between groans of discomfort. "Damn, I'm sore...better go after her...Now, where do I find some new clothes..."  
  
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After consoling a hysterical Alia, fighting to refuse a few hundred gallons of liquor from the other Hunters, and consoling a hysterical Douglas over the totaled Chaser, Night found himself marching down the hall to the Brig. And he still hadn't managed to get suitably black clothing, so he was restricted to his armor. It didn't really exist as a prison for Mavericks, but the GDC had started a trial program, and its conversion was the end result. *GDC trials...Where any reploid can justly and equally be found guilty of any crime...* he thought. *Why the hell am I here, anyway?*  
  
His confusion hadn't been remedied by Alia. She had spent the few hours he had been up torn between crying over, hugging, and throttling Night for his latest mission. *She's like family, but I gotta get away from her...*  
  
As he entered the brig's main hall, he noticed an arrhythmic thumping coming from somewhere, but put it out of his mind. A nearby Hunter waved him over, rising from his seat outside of the nearest cell. He was humanoid, with wild strands of dark green hair coming out of the sides of his helmet. The helmet itself wasn't standard issue, with an extended cap and a spiked fin on each side. His armor was a mix of green and black, and a Commander's mark was etched in silver his shoulder plates. As Night walked over, a confident smirk crept onto his face as he stood.  
  
Night looked him over, then shrugged. "Who the hell are you?" The Hunter's smile faded almost instantly.  
  
"Don't you know the Commander of the 14th when you see him...Man, you really ARE a dunce." He shook his head, falling back onto his chair. "Name's Slate, but you can call me Sir, greenhorn."  
  
Night spluttered, balling his hands into fists. "G-g-greenhorn?! Why, you little jackass...You're greener than I am!" he said. "And who are you calling stupid? The only stupid thing I see here is some wannabe UC with bunny ears on his head!!!"  
  
"THOSE ARE DRAGON EARS!!! I oughta kick your sorry ass, but that would be too easy...but you'll get yours." Before Night could respond, cocked his head towards the door behind him. "Anyhoo, don't you think it's time we interrogate the prisoners?"  
  
Fighting hard to compose himself, Night managed not to punch this newcomer in the face. Once he was fully calm, he took time to think about what Slate had just said. "Wait a minute, what prisoners? Aqueous went critical!"  
  
"Nah...no such luck. She's pretty banged up and her weapon arm was blown all to hell, but she's still alive. Seems like she's clean, too. Not even a trace of the Virus. Alia gave us orders to get some info on the Angels before the GDC gets their hands on her, so shall we?"  
  
With a grunt and a nod, they entered the cell. In the dim light, Night could see her sitting in a corner, eyes open but vacant. She didn't seem to notice them enter. Night almost felt relieved when he saw her. "So...I didn't kill her..."  
  
Slate shrugged. "Nah. She pretty much kicked your ass." he said, chuckling to himself as he shut the door. "She was hell of a lot better off than you, that's for sure. When we found her, she was conscious, but she's been like this ever since." He shuddered a bit as he crossed her line of sight. "Well, rookie, you're up."  
  
"Me?" Night asked. He glanced back and forth between Slate and the girl who was just sitting there, oblivious. "All right..."  
  
Creeping forward, he kneeled next to her. "I know you can hear me, Aqueous...Cooperate, and I'll try to help you. Now, what is the Angel Corps?"  
  
Her eyes remained unfocused as she flatly ignored him. She didn't even blink. "Okay...What have you done with Sol?" Again, silence. "Why did you attack the news station? Dammit, answer me!!!"  
  
At that moment, it was as if someone pressed an ON button. She pounced, her eyes aflame with rage. She began to beat at him with her remaining arm, pinning him with her legs, screaming at the top of her lungs. It took their combined strengths to get her off of Night. Slate quickly pulled them both out of the room, slamming the door. For a while, she pounded at the door, screaming curses and "Murderer!" at the top of her lungs. They both hung on to the opposite wall, worried that her emotional blows might actually break a door designed for the strongest reploids. Finally, she stopped, sobbing openly as she crawled back to her corner.  
  
After a while, Slate managed a high whistle. "That went well...On to the next one. She's mine...and DAMN is she fine!!!" He ran straight for a door at the end of the hall, but Night beat him to it with a dash burst. "Now, hold on a minute, what next one? It was just me and Aqueous!"  
  
Failing to push Night aside, Slate yanked helplessly at the door. In the back of his mind, Night noticed that the constant thumping seemed louder. "Apparently not, rook. This hot babe was found on the scene and led us to the both of you. She was hot as hell, but she didn't match up in the Registry, so she's being detained. Did I mention she's hot? That said, get out of my way!"  
  
"Wait...she's hot? You don't mean-" In Night's moment of distraction, Slate pushed him aside and quickly ducked into the cell, with his companion hot on his heels. Night let out an annoyed groan as soon as he saw who was there.  
  
"Nighty Light! Get me outta here! Closed spaces are NOT my idea of fun! Can't breathe! I CAN'T BREATHE!!!"  
  
Night frowned at the insane woman, who was now bouncing back and forth like a pinball on the walls. "Um, Miss Ashton, reploids don't really NEED to breathe. It's just a habit-"  
  
"Lemme out, lemme out, lemme out, lemme out, lemme out-"  
  
"SHUT UP!!!!" Night grabbed onto her, holding her still. By now, Slate was on the floor, the fits of laughter bringing him to his knees.  
  
"Ooh, firm grip. Did I ever tell you that you're cute in that armor? You're so scrawny without it...still kawaii, but scrawny..."  
  
Tossing her aside, Night felt a nervous tic start up again in his face. Slate just kept laughing like a fool on the ground, slapping at the wall. "Dammit, are you supposed to be British or Japanese?!"  
  
"Why, whatever you want me to be, Nighty Light..."  
  
"Don't call me that!"  
  
"Nighty Light! AH HA HA HA HA! That's rich!" Slate yelled, his giggling turning to spasms.  
  
"Get the hell outta here, bunny boy!" Night yelled.  
  
"DRAGON!!!"  
  
"OUT!!!!!" Dragging the still-laughing Hunter by his helmet, he tossed him out of the cell, slamming the door behind him. "Now...I'm not letting you out of here until you give me some straight answers..."  
  
Serrael merely smiled, lying on the small cot bolted to the wall. "Why, when the crooked ones are SO much more fun, luv?"  
  
Night grumbled for a bit after that statement, then chose to ignore it. "What do the Angels want?"  
  
"Oh, is that all, luv? We just want to spread the gospel to our reploid brethren. Such a godless age, you know. We could use a little faith and unconditional love, don't you think?" She winked at him, causing him to redden a bit.  
  
"Robbing factories and killing newsmen isn't exactly Christian of you." he said, crossing his arms.  
  
"There's a few bad apples in every bunch, and there's a rotten one influencing our leader...this Master bloke...what a bloody git he is..." she muttered. "Why do you think I helped you out? Master's up to no good, but he's got his hooks in Father..."  
  
Night took a moment to absorb this, then sat down next to her.  
  
"Okay, so who's this Father?"  
  
"Our master."  
  
"But I thought you said your master was bad?"  
  
"That's Master, not Father. Father's really my father."  
  
"So Master isn't the master, but Father's the master, who's being controlled by Master...Wait, you're all related? I thought Ignis and Aqueous had a thing...Eww..."  
  
Serrael scowled, an exasperated scowl leaving her lips. "Not really! Father's only really the father to me and my brother, Gabriel. The bloke who you de-armed a few days ago?"  
  
Night looked confused for a moment, but soon caught on. "Oh, him...Wait a minute, if you guys are so honorable, why'd you attack the Hunters?"  
  
She shrugged, leaning on his shoulder. He started to push her off, but something held him back. "We weren't after the Hunters, silly...well, my brother was. You see, a Hunter killed our mother., so he holds a grudge, but I'm over it."  
  
"What were you after then?"  
  
"Your brother." As soon as she said it, Night was on his feet. He'd almost forgotten about him while they were talking, but it all came back to him in a flash, and he was suddenly on his guard, again.  
  
"Why?! Have you hurt him?"  
  
"To recruit him! He's unharmed. Matter of fact, he's being given every freedom, well, except when we took his weapons and his warp generator...Aside from that, he does what he wants, and he hasn't complained!"  
  
"That...that doesn't make any damn sense!" After that, there was silence. Both tried to say things, but the tension stifled whatever they wanted to tell the other. For a while, they just stared at each other. They were broken from their trance when Slate barged through the door, a broad grin on his face and a datapad tucked under his arm. "Hello, lovebirds!"  
  
"Hmphh!" They said in unison, turning away from the other.  
  
"Fine, sheesh. Well, did you get anything for our report?"  
  
"Yeah, I got-"  
  
"Wait, is that datapad connected to the Net?" Serrael asked, grabbing it away.  
  
"Hey!" Slate exclaimed, trying to take it back with very little success. They ran in circles around Night, who was fuming at the spectacle.  
  
"I'm just checking the Registry!"  
  
"We already checked it, and you're not on it, now gimme that!" Slate finally pried it loose, panting from the effort. "Fine, I'll check it again."  
  
As he began to type into the pad, Serrael started to hum to herself, delighted. Night leaned on the wall, feeling a sudden need for some fresh air. After a moment, Slate let out a confused grunt and typed a few more commands as his eyes began to widen.  
  
"What's up, bunny?" Night asked.  
  
Slate didn't even notice the insult. He kept typing into the pad, with the same end result. "She's registered! More than that, it seems that she's a Hunter!"  
  
"WHAT?!! Lemme see that!" Night grabbed it from him, and soon himself stuttering in amazement.  
  
NAME: SERRAEL ASHTON  
  
CREATOR: CAIN LABS  
  
DATE COMPLETED: August 4th, 219X  
  
PURPOSE: Hunter Technician  
  
EQUIPMENT: Flight Capability, Advanced CPU, Total synth-frame.  
  
CLEARANCE: A  
  
"How did you do this?! I mean, you're a-"  
  
"Hunter! It was my first day today, and here I'm locked up, just because I tried to help you! I mean, really, Nighty Light, how rude! Now, if you'll excuse me..." Without waiting for an answer, she strolled out of the cell, smiling from ear to ear.  
  
Slate whistled softly to himself as he headed for the door. "Damn, she's got an ass on her...Well, I'm gonna give her a tour, maybe ending at my quarters, eh? You know a total replicate frame means...she can-" Night slammed the door after him, sliding to the ground of her former cell.  
  
"What the freakin' HELL is going on here?!"  
  
(Well, that took longer than I thought. Ah, well. Anyway, I have few things to address. First of all, I am male, Imp-chan. Sorry, all you fawning guys out there, but I prefer the softer side of the spectrum...  
  
RandomGuy: But we never liked you in the first-AAAGH!!!  
  
...Anyway. Second, thanks for all the reviews! 14 reviews, whew...even if about 13 were from Imp...makes me feel all warm. Now, if only I could get these suckers out faster...) 


	10. Chapter 9: The Dragon's Lair

(AN: I don't own any of the Capcom characters. I do, however, own Square, Eidos, Electronic Arts, and Konami. None of these groups will admit it, but trust me. Use my characters if you ask first, m'kay. Oh, and if it's for lemon...I probably will say no...Sorry, ladies and gents.  
  
Random Guy(is still in a body cast): Who would want to write lemons about YOUR characters?  
  
Enjoy the show. Excuse me...  
  
Random Guy: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHH!!!!!)  
  
Chapter 9: The Dragon's Lair  
  
"Ah, for Chrissakes, it's noon already..." he muttered. Slate had been standing outside of Night's quarters in full armor for two hours, and the wait was starting to get to him. The bill of his helmet was pulled low, covering his eyes, which were ticking to the beat of his internal clock. "I hate waiting, and that's all I've done for that rook...That's it. I'm coming in!"  
  
Night barely moved as his door was kicked in, his face firmly planted in a pillow. His right side was hanging off of the bed and his left was clutching the mattress for dear life. His silver hair covered most of his torso like a blanket, and that seemed to be all the cover he had at the moment. Either snoring or rambling came at odd intervals, muffled by the pillow. Night was more than in stasis. Night was out cold.  
  
Slate grumbled to him self once again, staring down at the sight before him. "Jeez...what a slob! And I thought I was a heavy sleeper...Wakey, wakey, kid!" After there was no response, he stepped closer. He tried shaking the snoring statue, but to no effect. "Hey, rookie, get your goddamn ass outta bed!!!"  
  
Night stirred for a moment, his hanging side flailing to regain its precarious balance. Rubbing his cheek against the pillow, a smile crept onto Night's face: he was deeper into stasis mode. "Nnngh...mmph...dnn cull mmph lfff...Bunny..." Holding his pillow in a death grip, his smile was broken by a fit of snoring, and as suddenly as he moved, he was still again.  
  
"Oh, goddamn it all...Alia!" He slammed his fist into his comm, wincing a little in painful regret as he did. "Slate here! Boss, I'm losing patience with him..."  
  
The voice on the other side was less than pleased. "Do you have any freakin' clue how loud that comm beep is?! I'm trying to meditate, dammit!"  
  
Slate felt his reserves of calm fading fast, but took a deep breath and continued. "Alia, I can't get that godawful rookie of yours out of stasis! I can't do my job if the brat's in Z land, now can I?"  
  
"What do I look like, his mother? Oh, for Pete's....Fine, bring the comm up to his ear. I swear to God, for my only active unit commander, you're pretty damn helpless..."  
  
"This isn't my job!" he cried.  
  
"Didn't I give you an order, Hunter?!" Almost diving at the peacefully resting Night, Slate brought his arm up to Night's face. He stood there a second, trying to hold back the desire to punch Night in the face as he felt his arm grabbed and nuzzled by the sleeping reploid. However, Alia cut in before disaster could strike.  
  
"Oh, Night...Night...Kid...GET UP! GET YOUR LAZY ASS OUT OF THAT GODDAMN BED RIGHT NOW, DO YOU HEAR ME?!! IF YOU DON'T WAKE YOUR SORRY ASS UP IN THE NEXT TWO SECONDS, I'M GONNA TURN YOUR BEHIND INTO A TRASH CAN!!!"  
  
Night smiled and rubbed his eyes. He rolled over at a casual pace, putting his arms behind his head. "Oh...morning, Alia."  
  
"There, I've done it! Now leave me the hell alone!" The comm then cut to static, eventually fizzling out entirely. Slate turned off his end, his cocky smile back in full form. Night shook his head.  
  
"Damn...she must've broke her comm again...Douglas's gonna shit a brick."  
  
Night turned his head to the side, blowing some of the hair from his face. "Eh. Screw Douglas. He still hasn't fitted my new clothes with my warp specs yet...What the hell're you doing here anyway, bunny ears? I'm not exactly decent..." A voice cut Slate off before he could speak.  
  
"I'll say...you ARE a cutie!! Decent is NOT the word, luv!" The two reploids looked to the door to find an unwelcome sight leaning in the doorframe, her face a burning red.  
  
Night made a mad dash for the other side of the covers. "SERRAEL?!! Aw, shit!! Get out of here! Where's my damn door?! Turn around, goddammit!!! What the HELL are grinning at?! Who kicked down my door?!!"  
  
"Don't be ashamed of what the good Lord made, Nighty. Definitely... Ta-ta." With cheeks still redder than a hot furnace, Serrael waved and walked out, giggling as she went.  
  
Slate managed to stop himself from laughing a few minutes later. There was on odd grin on his face, and his helmet was back in its low position, blocking his eyes. It lent more of a devious appearance than anything else. "Hey, rook... methink she likey, no?...And since you're, uh...equipped for the job, maybe you can get a little-"  
  
"OUT!!!! NOW!!!" Night yelled, pointing at the lack of a door.  
  
"Fine, fine...sheesh. Some guys would like a hot chick complimenting the hardware...But, remember, you've got 20 minutes! Then meet me in the training center!" Then he was gone.  
  
"Goddamn sorry little no-good piece of..." Night skulked off to the cafeteria, his armor on and his blades flashing in and out at random. There were many dangers in the Hunter life, and the new recruits soon learned that most of them were in their hallways.  
  
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"Ok. Now, what the hell did you want to meet me for?" Night said, after a quick breakfast. His mood hadn't fully improved, and the rumor mill apparently was VERY fast among the female Hunters, both human and reploid. Suffice it to say, he wasn't very cheerful.  
  
"Relax, rook. I've got orders to teach you how to use that nice suit of yours. It's powerful, but you're greener than envy." Slate had pulled off his helmet, opting for a white bandanna. Apparently, the sides of his helmet were for more than show, as his long green-scaled ears were now in plain sight. His dark green hair fell down to the top of his shoulders, blending in with his armor.  
  
"What? I don't need training. I've taken down two Mavs already, haven't I?" Night said. A smirk was on his face and his arms were crossed. "Besides, I'm not going out there again."  
  
Slate shook his head and sighed. "Rookie...You must be slow or something!"  
  
"Come again?"  
  
"Let's go down the tally, shall we? First big fight, you got beat within an inch of your life, and at the last minute, you get pretty freakin' lucky!" Slate held up one finger, frowning as he went on. "Next, you get beat within point zero zero zero zero zero ONE inches of your life, and your opponent was only knocked out for a minute by your last ditch stunt." He raised a second finger. "Next time, whether you want to fight or not, your ass is so much scrap metal. So, it's up to me to teach you how to actually NOT get the shit beat out of you! Any questions?"  
  
Night nodded, recovering from the cowed look on his face from the truthful description of his record. "Just one. How is some bunny eared greenhorn gonna teach me how to fight?"  
  
"DRAGON EARS!!!!"  
  
"Yeah, whatever. But you haven't answered my question."  
  
Night watched as Slate's glare turned into a dangerous grin. He walked over to one wall of the bare room and picked up a thin metal cylinder. Tossing it up and down in his hands, he walked along the wall back towards Night, the smile still firmly planted on his face.  
  
"Um, Slate..."  
  
Without a word, Slate hurled the cylinder at Night with all of his strength. In midair, it expanded to an arm's length and began to spin rapidly, rushing towards Night. Out of instinct, Night dashed aside, feeling a breeze as the staff whirled past.  
  
"WHAT THE-"  
  
Slate smiled, watching the staff fly by. "So you can NOT get hit by everything! Good! Lesson One's dodging, by the way."  
  
"You sadistic son of a- AAH!" Night felt something slam into his back, knocking him into the floor. The staff whirled by in a lazy arc, landing softly in Slate's outstretched hand. He was laughing harder than ever as the staff retracted to its former size.  
  
"Slate's Rule One: Watch your ass! Example courtesy of my Dragon Tail! Now, get up!" By the time Night was on his knees, Slate tossed the Tail again. As he saw it approach, Night launched himself into the air.  
  
"Activate Training Sim 1!" Slate cried, cackling as he spoke!  
  
As Night continued upwards, he found his head coming into firm contact with a platform. "Owww!" As he fell, the Tail made its return, slapping his sensitive head as it passed. To his credit, Night managed to land on his feet, rubbing his head with a murderous look in his eyes. Looking around, the training center had changed into a cave, lit by a green crystal. Platforms were appearing and disappearing at random all around him. "Where the hell did that come from?!"  
  
"Slate Rule Two, rookie! Use your environment!" Slate yelled. He threw the Tail again, just as a high wall appeared behind Night. Before the Tail could hit, however, Night was airborne again, grabbing the top of the wall with his armor's claws. He cheered as it bounced harmlessly off of the wall, returning to its master. "Ha! Take that, you maniac!" Unfortunately, he didn't see the second Tail coming straight up for him. When he tried to kick off of the wall, it disappeared, leaving him to take another hit and plummet. This time, he wasn't so lucky and face-planted. Pulling himself into a kneel, Night spat random curses in a variety of languages. "I'm gonna rip out your goddamn throat!"  
  
"Uh, uh, uh! Slate Rules 3 and 4: Cheaters always prosper, and don't piss off the guy with the Dragon Tails!" Slate ran forward, a Tail in each hand, his grin turning into a frown of concentration. Night was on his feet in an instant, dashing backwards as fast as he could. Slate kept the pace with a lunge, swinging a Tail forward. Night dashed with his other leg, continuing his retreat. As quickly as Night could dash away, Slate kept pace, his Tails lashing out at every chance. "How are you so damn fast?!" Night yelled, as he jumped to the side of an overhead slash, only to dash away from a thrust from Slate's other hand. He stopped himself before he hit a new wall, and jumped onto a platform, with Slate in hot pursuit.  
  
"Shut up and dodge! Slate Rule 5: Concentrate, dammit!" The sparring match ran on for a while, Night dashing out of danger as Slate pursued, running and jumping from platform to platform as fast as Night could dash. The time sped by as they fell into a rhythm. Slate still scored the occasional blow, but those hits became fewer and fewer over time. After the first hour, they were both panting, low on energy, but no one asked for the match to stop. Slate soon began to dash as well, faster than Night, but lacking the double use, he could only catch up for a moment before being outpaced as his thrusters took that short second to recharge. "You're getting it, kid!" Slate yelled.  
  
"And you hop fast, Bunny Boy!" Night threw back. Enraged by the remark, Slate threw both Tails at once. Night dodged both, but, to his surprise and confusion, they followed him almost instantly. For the next few minutes, he found himself unable to stop, with the two whirling poles bearing in on him. Slate fell to the ground, breathing heavily, but having trouble breathing from the laughter that threatened to choke him. Hearing this, Night suddenly used a double dash, pulling himself ahead, then activated his new Fire Strike, giving himself a wide gap. Turning, he stared down the approaching Tails, and did the last thing Slate expected. He turned on his blades and chopped each Tail in half. Slate jumped to his feet, hissing in obvious pain. "What the hell?! That's not-"  
  
"Night Rule number 1: Your goddamned rules don't apply!" Night charged for Slate, letting his blades die, his hands balled into fists. "It's your turn!" Slate's grin returned as Night came closer. At the last moment, Slate tossed aside his bandana to reveal a familiar, smiling face, his green spikes replaced by a long blond ponytail. Night stopped on a dime, letting his arms fall to his sides. "Sol?!"  
  
Just then, Sol's soft smile turned in the devil's own grin, fangs and all. He ran forward, landing a firm punch into Night's gut. Without missing a beat, a roundhouse kick sent his victim flying to a wall, headfirst. Slate's laughter came from Sol's mouth as his features returned, down to his green hair. "Slate's Laaaaast Rule: I don't give a damn what happens, never let up. Never. Get some sleep, and take a shower, for god sakes." With a backwards wave, he marched towards the door. "One downside of being a total rep like us is that we work up one hell of a sweat! The upside is the way to work it!" The automatic door slammed behind him, leaving Night alone and very much in pain.  
  
Night groaned to himself, a look of sheer violence on his face. "I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch...But, first..." And then everything went dark.  
  
From her perch on the roof, Serrael applauded.  
  
"Good work, cutie. You've got potential...But it's not enough, not yet."  
  
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Things had been subdued at the Angel's Base since the station attack, and things weren't looking to improve. The wall screen lay silent in disuse. Those within spoke in hushed tones, except for the occasional giggling from that shadowed corner that two of the Archangels permanently occupied. Some things never change. Not even they could be brought down by the constant brooding of their leader.  
  
"Two days...Two days, she's been gone!" Father yelled, to no one in particular. Those brave enough to stay in the area were clearing out as they sensed the storm coming. Only the six remaining Archangels remained.  
  
Rena sat at her perch on her giant protector's shoulder, a look of worry on her face. "What's eatin' Daddy, Brand?" she asked. Brand sighed, drooping his shoulders. She barely managed to hug his neck before falling.  
  
"It's Serrael. She's been gone for a while. It's natural that he's concerned. She is his true daughter, after all." Rena frowned at this, hugging Brand's neck a little tighter.  
  
"Wish Daddy was my real Daddy..." she muttered. After a few moments, she shrugged and slid down Brand's arm, leaping to the floor. "Ah, fuck all this moody shit...I'm watching cartoons in my room!!! Come on, ya big lug!" Dragging him by one finger, she pulled him out of the den, her childlike nature shifting to her actual self. James watched them leave, one eye still boring into his tattered Bible.  
  
"God bless the child; her mind is fractured..." he said, turning a page. "Reminds me of a passage...Spare the rod and spoil the child. Now, where was that-"  
  
"LEAVE!!!" Father screamed, pointing at James. He was still staring at the blank screen, but the look on his face unmistakable and demanded obedience. "By God, everything reminds you of a SCRIPTURE! God himself doesn't read the book as much. Get out of my sight."  
  
With a quick nod, James strode off at a fast pace for the door. "Zealous prick..." Father muttered.  
  
"I hear you. Want a little...distraction?" Mara sat on Father's lap, tracing the lines of his suit with her finger. "Now...does this armor have a button somewhere-" As her hand dropped lower, Father stood bolt upright, dropping her to the floor.(AN: Literally, you sick pervs...) "Ow! I'm not usually into the rough stuff, but if you want it that-"  
  
"Shut up, you insufferable slut! It's bad enough that you've got my son in your claws, now you're seducing ME? I created you, you whore!"  
  
"Geez...I can take a hint, Gramps..." In a flash of purple light, she was gone.  
  
"All of my generals are insane..." he muttered, heading for the door.  
  
"Like father, like son, eh, Daddy?" The screen flickered to life. Father turned to look up at his daughter's face. Though she was smiling, he had the feeling that good news wasn't coming.  
  
"My Angel...where are you?!" he said.  
  
"Don't you know, Daddy? Oh, that's right, I found your little tracer and turned it off."  
  
"How did you-"  
  
"Gee, Daddy. You raise a girl to hack, and you don't think she can handle a little bug? Tsk, tsk." Her smile was fading fast, and Father was starting to get nervous.  
  
"I want you come home immediately. The Hunters are searching for us, and they know your face-"  
  
"A little edit here, a little change there, and I'm out of that little test transmission. Besides, I'm not coming home until you see reason."  
  
"REASON?!! What are you-"  
  
"Can it, already. I heard you and Master. What did you call Nadia...a useless pacifist?! He's changed you! I'm not coming home until you stop being a fool and sent Master back under his rock! Till then-"  
  
"Serry, wait!"  
  
"Buh-bye!" The screen turned itself off. That didn't stop Father from punching the screen, shattering it in a single blow. The den's door seemed to slam behind him as walked out, screaming at the top of his lungs. "RENA!!!"  
  
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Night found himself back in the training facility, though one couldn't tell by looking at it. The walls of steel had been replaced by a large dome of stone. The place was lighted by a green crystal above. For the last hour, Night had been in the middle of a saber fight. He would have been in a hundred pieces if they weren't just using stun sticks, and even then, he felt like he was vibrating. Slate didn't know the meaning of slow down, and Night was getting angrier by the second.  
  
"Dammit, I'm not a saber fighter!" Night yelled. Using his longer stick like a spear, Slate got another hit into Night's leg.  
  
"This isn't about sabers! It's about instincts! Keep your guard up, for chrissakes!" As he spoke, he let loose with a twirling hit that slapped Night right in the face. "Though I admit, this is really fun!"  
  
"Shut up!" Night charged forward, sword upraised. He slashed downward, adding a dash boost to the strike. Slate just ducked under it, thrusting his stun stick into Night's chin, followed by a rapid series of jabs. Night went down.  
  
"Slate Rule...well, one of 'em, anyhoo: Save your finisher for the finish!" Slate said, walking towards the door. "Meet me in the caf once you can move!" With a wave of his hand, the cave faded back into the bare cube it was. "Till next time, rook!"  
  
Slate walked through the open door, only to bump into something. *Something soft,* he noted. He found himself face to face Serrael, the look on her face not a happy one. His ever-present grin grew a little wider as he realized was he was still brushed up against. "Fancy meeting you here, babe!"  
  
She simply smiled her biggest smile, put her hands in his shoulders, and watched the expression on his face as her knee shot upwards. Pushing aside his crumpled form, she walked over him to Night. "So he does have one...Guess every wanker does...Hentai."  
  
Night was cackling as hard as he could, ignoring the pain in his chest from his recent training. He barely managed to sit up as it was. The painfully loud chime of his comm broke his humor.  
  
"Night, this is Alia! GDAir just had most of their silent alarms tripped. Strange thing is, no one seems to be responding from the base. Something bad is happening, I can feel it."  
  
"Father..." Serrael said. Her voice was subdued, something Night had never heard from the girl.  
  
"What's that new girl doing there?" Alia asked.  
  
"Never mind that! Can't you send Slate on this? If there's a Mav, he's obviously more prepared for it!" he said. "There's enough voltage running through me to light a city, right now...I'm not X. I can't just run in and hope for the best!"  
  
There was silence from the other end for a long moment. "You're right. I can't expect you to be another X." Another long pause. "Sit this one out. You need the rest. Alia out."  
  
"Well, my asshole title is safe for now..." Night fell back to the floor. He felt a breeze blow by and opened his eyes to see a green light flash and Serrael disappear. "Aw, shit..." A second later, the training area was empty.  
  
(Well, there goes my chapter. This one was fun to write. Hope you all enjoyed it, especially all of my lovable reviewers! Imp-chan, xxshadowxx, and all the others, keep it coming! I'll try to crank it out a little faster, but don't hold your breath...All I can say about the future is that things are about to line themselves up for the big fight. Till then...See you, space cowboys.) 


	11. Chapter 10: Two Faces

(AN: I don't own the Capcom characters. But I DO own my guys(and chicks), and will loan them out of asked. BTW, Thanks to all of my reviewers. You guys keep me going!)  
  
Chapter 10: Two Faces  
  
Serrael watched from behind a stack of crates as jet after jet took off. It had been going on with a takeoff every few seconds since she arrived. "It looks like the whole damn fleet's going up..." she muttered. "And why only one at a time..."  
  
"To avoid detection, I'd guess." Her startled gasp was cut off by a hand placed over her mouth. "You shouldn't be here. Go. Now." When the hand was removed, Serrael spun around to find a frowning Night ducking next to her.  
  
"Night! This reeks of Master...I have to find out what's going-"  
  
"Like hell you do! This place isn't safe!" he whispered. Motioning for her to rise, they both peered over their cover. It seemed like every reploid on the base was repairing or prepping planes. There wasn't a human in sight. Serrael was about to say something, but came up short as she noticed the purple glow coming from each of their eyes.  
  
"Mavericks!" she whispered a bit too loudly. Night pulled her back down, putting a finger to his mouth.  
  
"Keep it down! They're not infected, as far as I can tell. More like something's possessed them. Who knows if it's contagious or something. That's why I want you to leave...Please?" he asked. His annoyed frown had been replaced by a look of serious concern. She barely managed to suppress a blush.  
  
"Thanks for caring, luv, but if this is the Angels...my old friends, then I can't let you hurt them." She leaned forward, giving him a peck on the cheek. His dumb grin soon faded as she kicked him out into the open. "Hunter! There's a Hunter here!" she yelled, before vanishing from sight.  
  
As every pair of eyes on the strip stared at him, Night made a weak attempt at a smile. "Uh, actually, I'm not really a Hunter, so if you don't mind, I think I'll-"  
  
Out of instinct, he dashed backwards, skidding on his butt. Judging from the scorch marks where he was before, he decided a sore ass was worth it. More shots followed him as made it to his feet. "Serrael, you bitch!"  
  
He dove for the side of a building as a hail of plasma shots came after him. "Ah, shit!" Hugging the wall, he took a peek to find at least twenty Buster-equipped reploids all staring in his general direction. Another volley of shots went for his exposed head, missing by inches. "Double shit!" he muttered. Just as he thought things couldn't get worse, he heard the familiar whine of Buster charge several times over. "I swear to God, my ghost is going to kick her ass!!!"  
  
He tensed up, his eyes sealed shut, as he heard the shots go off. The searing heat and unimaginable pain never came. He heard shouting and screaming from the other side of the wall, followed by more shots. Then, after a few moments, there was an eerie silence. After a long pause, Night opened his eyes and chanced a look around the corner.  
  
All but one of the reploids that had shot at him was on the ground, unconscious. The remaining soldier waved a metallic staff at Night, grinning like an idiot. Then, to Night's amazement, the soldier faded into the form of a familiar green-armored hunter. Slate ran over to Night, ducking behind the temporary. "I managed to sneak up to those guys. More are on their way. And might I ask, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!!"  
  
Night shrugged, crossing his arms. "Ser's out here somewhere. I came to keep her out of trouble. Needless to say, she ditched me. Crazy bitch..." Slate nodded, then jumped onto the side of the hangar wall.  
  
"Come on, kid. There's something up around here, and we're going to find out what. We might even save your crazy girlfriend's life." Night followed, holding back a rude comment on the tip of his tongue.  
  
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Serrael had been watching from the highest point she could find: The roof of the GDA command center. From what she could tell, the humans were under heavy guard. The rest of the reploids on base were working to prep the air fleet. It seemed that they were stealing the whole thing. "What's causing this...I was sure that Master had something-"  
  
Just then, a beep of recognition went off in her mind. "Rena...what's that schizo bitch doing here...And why did I pick her up...Only Father, Gabe, and I can use the Control...right?" Looking in the direction of the source, all was confirmed. Rena was skipping straight for the flagship, several GDA soldiers skipping after her. Her scan showed a wave flowing out from the girl to everyone on base, including herself.  
  
"Okay, now this is odd...If she's sending it to everyone, why am I free?" she muttered. "And not even Father can fully control reploids..." Her mind crashed to a halt as she felt the floor begin to hum below her. "Oh, shit."  
  
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Night and Slate made their way to the center of the base, jumping on rooftops and ducking behind crates to avoid combat. Night wanted to free the humans along the way, but Slate held him back. "Forget it...cut off a snake's head, and the rest will follow," he said.  
  
"Not nice to kill your relatives, dragon boy."  
  
"Just shut up and keep going..." They had almost made it to the main base when they saw the GDA command center literally fall apart. Towers and walls fell away, revealing a huge flagship, whose engines were rapidly warming up. "What the hell?!!" they said, jumping to their feet.  
  
Unfortunately, their cries of surprise alerted the possessed soldiers. They barely managed to duck again as shots whizzed past their heads. Shouts and calls for help rang out over the base. Slate grumbled, lowering his helmet over his eyes. "You dumbass!" he yelled. "Look what you did!"  
  
"ME?!! You-" Night screamed, but Slate cut him off, extending his Dragon Tail to its staff length. With a twist of the shaft, a plasma blade came out of each end, both ends glowing light green. "You jackass, you can't kill them!"  
  
Slate shook his head. "Relax! I'm just going to hold them off, rook. You get your ass in that damn plane! The bossman's gotta be in there!"  
  
Night started to protest, but as a volley of charged Supershots destroyed their cover, Slate acted, twirling his Tail to deflect the newest shots. "You wanna die?! Then GO!!!"  
  
With a rushed nod, Night dashed towards the ship, stray shots landing all around him. In the distance, he could heard a load roar, followed by screaming. "You better be okay, Ser, cuz I'm going to rip your fucking wings out!"  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Serrael wasn't in any immediate danger, but from what she could tell, that was bound to change. A dark blur had made its way to the ship, and that could only mean one thing. "Night, that fucking imbecile..."  
  
What worried her more was happening right below her. The sound of the engines was deafening as the ship began a slow turn. The whine of the thrusters was growing higher by the second, and the entire vibrated from their power.  
  
"Damn it...they'll take off any minute, and then it's to hell with Japan. Gotta get those bloody engines stopped...Sounds like a job for..." With a flourish of her arms, she faded into the surroundings. "The Hidden Hacker."  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
The inside of the battleship was, remarkably, exactly as he'd imagined it before it went airborne. Long hallways went along the length of the ships, carpeted in GDA sky blue. Offices with name plates came in set intervals, sometimes broken by elevators or break areas. It was one big bureaucracy. "I don't know what's weirder...that this joint's flying or that they have so many freakin' offices..." Night muttered. He'd been walking for what seemed like an hour, but was still as lost as ever in the endless crisscross of halls. Every door he tried seemed to be locked, the door handles not budging to even his strength.  
  
The frustration was starting to get to him as he marched onward, the whine of the engines still growing in the background. After what felt like an eternity, he found himself in a huge open work area, a tube rising from its center to a ceiling of pipes and girders. "Okay...I guess it's up we go..." When he stepped into the clearing, he felt a sudden breeze behind him.  
  
"The fu-" In front of him, cubicle walls rose from the ground, forming what looked like a maze of metal plates. From the nest of steel above, several blurs jumped downwards, landing with the sound of steel on steel. Night took a step back in surprise, to back into a seamless wall. His blades slashed at the wall, bending before his eyes. "Shit...TT- Alloy...Guess there's no running from this one."  
  
With a dash, he burst into the maze. He soon regretted his haste when he came into contact with a wall, knocking him on his ass. "So much for rushing..." Blades upraised, he started running. " I don't have time for this shit!"  
  
The path seemed to lead to the center tube, twisting around to meet with other paths. "This is too easy." he thought, the main elevator in plain sight. He dashed for it, a victorious grin on his face. "Yea-AAHH!!!"  
  
He dashed right through the first mechanical spider, cutting it in half, to come face to face with its five brothers. Crouching, they matched his height. A single red eye glowed in the surrounding glow, shedding light on a pair of sharp-looking mandibles. Their abdomens protruded like a wasps, their spiked tails pointed at him. In unison, they fired. Long whips struck out, wrapping around Night's arms and legs. "Aw, SHIAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!" Electricity coursed through him, bringing him to his knees. They slowly stepped forward, their mandibles clacking wildly. 25% of my systems energy got shocked away..., he thought, not to mention I can't move...I could use a little help...  
  
On command, a status bar appeared in his vision, a purple line quickly rising to full.  
  
PROBE INTEGRATION COMPLETE. CONVERT TO REPAIRS?  
  
"Hell, yeah..." he whispered. The spiders paused in their slow advance, peering in confusion at their prey. While they watched, a green glow spread through him. After a few moments, he pulled himself to his feet, his blades reactivated. Their clacking grew more frantic as golden vents opened over his body. The bar in his eyes took a sudden drop to 60%. "My turn!" Dashing forward with a double burst, he screamed as the flames surrounded him, melting away the webs. He rocketed through the spiders, frying two of them as he passed. Grabbing onto a wall, he changed his direction, dashing at another, blades outstretched. There were six legs, then four, then one and a half left, following a flurry of slashes, until his target exploded from the punishment. The other two soon followed.  
  
"Wow...I did pick something up from bunny boy...Let's try that healing bit again." His blades turned off as the green energy rushed through him. The bar to his left was down to the halfway mark when his systems were back to full, then slowly began to rise again. "Huh...damn. Guess I'd better be careful with the fireworks. I don't have time to waste charging!" He dashed into the elevator, recognizing the trademark doors close behind the shaft. "Did they freakin' plan for the place to be stolen..."  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
"Slate, come in! Come in, dammit!!! Shit, he's gone...Someone get me eyes on that goddamn base!!!" Alia screamed, banging on her chair terminal for added effect. It was unnecessary. Everyone in the room was typing as fast as they could. The situation had gone from bad to worse when Slate reported that the whole base seemed Mavericked, but he hadn't reported in since, and their hail attempts had recently stopped reaching him. "What the hell's going on?!!" she screamed. "Damn, you rookie techs are godawful...WHERE'S NIGHT?!!!"  
  
"Um, sir...er, ma'am" A very frightened tech turned in his seat, holding himself.  
  
"...What?" Her sickly smile was enough to make him shiver.  
  
"You're gonna believe this, but-"  
  
"Try me."  
  
"The GDA command building just went airborne...and it looks like it's try to turn our way."  
  
Alia was speechless. For a few moments, she just stared ahead, letting the thoughts settle in her head. "Okay...lemme check. The freakin' GDA building just took off? And Slate's comm just went? Anything I'm missing?"  
  
Another tech, one who looked even more afraid than the others, slowly raised his hand.  
  
Through a sudden bout of controlled breathing, Alia managed to let out a hoarse, "What?!"  
  
"Night's signal has been located...a,a,a,a,at the, at the-"  
  
"Oh, for the love of all SHIT!!!!" she screamed. "I swear to every god above, I'm going to beat him to death with his own spine...Now, who DOESN'T have any data for me?"  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
As Night passed through the elevator, he stepped into an empty command center. "Well...wasn't expecting this," he muttered. "Ah, well, better turn this sucker off."  
  
He ran for the engine controls, only to trip and hit his face on the console. "Ugh...what the-"  
  
"Wanna play, Mister?!" someone cried. He rolled over to see a girl of no more than ten years, still playfully holding out her foot. "Aw, c'mon, let's play, I'm SOOOOOOOOOO bored here!"  
  
"I'm busy, you little brat. Go home, it's not safe here. There's Mavericks." Night pulled himself up and took a look at the control console. "What is this stuff written in-"  
  
"Well, FUCK YOU, TOO, BITCH!" Night turned again to find a blur of the girl slamming into his chest, knocking him into the console yet again. The spinning ball bounced off of him, landing in a chair. The school uniform the girl had before was replaced by a set of yellow armor, with thrusters on the arms and legs. "It's more fun to beat the living shit outta you, anyhow."  
  
"Angel!!" Night yelled, drawing his Duel Blades. He charged forward, stabbing at the giggling girl. She leaped over his lunge with ease, using his head as a stepping stone to hop over him.  
  
"You're dumb! Nya-na!" she teased. "You can't touch Aerin, you fuckin' moron! I haven't started hurting you yet! Check it out!" With an almost comical pose, she created a bubble of sparks around her. "Now, dodge this!" instantly, she turned into a spinning ball, aiming for Night's head. He barely managed to duck under the shot.  
  
"Ha!" He turned around just in time to catch the ricochet in the gut, knocking him back as she kept bouncing. "Ugh...bitch..." He barely managed to dive out of her way as she came back around, slamming into the wall as she went. "I'm ready this time!" he yelled, slashing at her, to find his blade knocked aside as she smashed into his face, bringing him to the ground.  
  
"Hey, stupidface, you can't hurt me when I've got me 'Lectro-field up!" her voice called as she went for his head again. He dashed across the floor, trying to defend himself. "Give it up and DIE, JACKASS!!!"  
  
"Not quite...Let's see if you like it hot!" Night jumped to his feet, dashing straight for the hurtling girl. The vents appeared and engulfed him in flames, his meter draining down to a quarter. "Eat this!"  
  
They collided in midair with a crash and a wave of sparks. When the smoke cleared, Aerin was seated on a captain's chair, rubbing her head. Night, on the other hand, was on the ground, barely conscious and short half of his internal energy. "Ugh...that went well."  
  
"You gave me a boo-boo...YOU HURT MY FUCKIN' HEAD, YOU QUEER!!!" Aerin jumped into the air, screaming at the top of her lungs. "I'm gonna kill you!!!" Spreading her arms and legs, her body began to shiver. Arcs of lightning lanced around her, restoring her safety bubble. With a insane yell, she dove for him.  
  
"Uh-oh..."Gotta flame...Hey, what's happening!  
  
INSUFFICIENT PROBE ENERGY. USE OTHER WEAPON(S)  
  
"Shee-it!" He ducked under her mad charge, jumping onto a nearby wall. "Don't tell me I'm out of ammo! Gimme something!"  
  
ACTIVATING BLAST BUBBLE. FIRE WHEN READY. His blades retracted, their arm cylinders retracting into his arm. He had to let go of the wall, dodging another bounce, as his left arm ballooned to double the size, blue lines streaking across it. "This is more like it!" he yelled, aiming at the spinning Maverick.  
  
She froze in her tracks, still coursing with electricity. "Oooh...baby got a pop gun? Well, tough titty. I'm gonna rip it out and shove it up your exhaust!" She chuckled like a madman, throwing her head back in victory.  
  
"Oh, shut the fuck up..." he muttered, firing. His remaining energy dropped by half. A bolt of blue flew at her, slow to the point of agony. She could barely dodge it as she convulsed in midair from laughter. "The fuck-?"  
  
"That all you got? A fuckin' bubble?! I'm gonna kick your ass so hard..." Her voice left his mind as he followed the path of his shot. As the ball struck the wall behind her, the bubble burst, several smaller bubbles blasting outwards too fast to detect. As several balls flew at her, she continued to laugh, then screamed at the top of her lungs. Clouds of steam rose from her back, creating jagged bolts of lightening. The freed charge struck her, reducing her into a babbling mess on the floor. Her hair struck straight up and her eyes took on the purple glow of an angry Maverick. "THAT'S IT!!!!!!!!!! YOU'RE FUCKED, MISTER!!!"  
  
She rose to her feet and ran for him, bolts of lightening randomly flying out from her armor. He found himself backed into a wall. He aimed another shot and fired. She ran right through the large ball, the electricity in her system growing stronger as her screams of pain and fury grew loader. She was only a few steps short of her target when the ship violently rocked. Night felt himself falling, and was knocked to his knees by a tremor that knocked the command center into darkness.  
  
Aerin was outraged, the sparks rising from her tainted eyes as she marched onward, the only source of light in the shadows.  
  
"Damn...guess this is my last close call..."  
  
"Oh, you know it, bitch...I'm gonna love this..." she said. Then, she began to giggle as she stepped closer. Something about that laugh made Night more afraid than he'd ever been.  
  
A blur of movement in the corner of his eyes distracted him from his fear. A familiar voice called out from the darkness. "Night! Cut your auds!"  
  
"Ser?!"  
  
"Now!" His hearing went offline without a thought. As he sat dumbfounded, he watched Serrael appear from nowhere, floating in the middle of the room, and saw her mouth open wide. The air seemed to vibrate around them, destroying equipment everywhere. The sparks in Aerin's armor grew to a fever pitch, then died out as she fell, in stasis, to the ground. Then it was all over and she gave a tired-looking thumbs up.  
  
"-t's okay now...My Hellscream...should keep her offline for a couple days...help." Night barely caught Serrael as she fell from her pose.  
  
"You okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah...tired. Need to rest a bit 'fore we go." She wrapped her arms around his chest as he carried her towards to a chair.  
  
"Quick question. Why the hell didn't you do that before she went for my ass..." He dropped her in the seat none-too-gently, the annoyance returning to his mind.  
  
She blinked a few times, grinning as if she'd just woken up. "Five reasons. First, I was busy landing this bloody boat. Second, My Hellscream only works on exposed circuits. Most reploids are shielded unless they've been damaged. Third, you seemed to be handling yourself. And fourth, that bloody yell takes a lot out of a gal."  
  
"Uh-huh...you said there were five things."  
  
"You look cute getting your ass kicked," she said. "Not to mention that twitch you do when you're pissed..."  
  
This was apparently one of those moments. "I owe you an ass-kicking, Ser...I really do."  
  
"Look on the bright side, Nighty. You're barely busted up this time. No melted skin or anythin'."  
  
"Rest's over. Let's go." he muttered, looking over to the unconscoius Maverick. "I'll warp her to a cell and come back for you. I don't want you risking a solo jump if you're this weak."  
  
Serrael shrugged, her smile widening with an added blush. "My hero."  
  
"I just want you intact for the thrashing I'm oh so going to give you."  
  
"Ooh...my favorite." It was his turn to blush, just before he was gone, Aerin thrown over his shoulder. "He's got potential..."  
  
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(not my best work, but ah well...c'est la vie. Sorry about the delay, but finals wait for no man. Hopefully the next chapter will come out of my head a little faster.  
  
Random guy: What, you're constipated?  
  
till next time...Excuse me...WHO THE HELL-  
  
end transmission) 


	12. Chapter 11 - Revelations and Resolutions

(AN: I don't own jack. Jack's a free man, darn you!!! Anyway, the Megaman crew are Capcom's and my characters are free to use, if you tell me first. Now, with no further ado(since I wasted a good chunk of time as it is)  
  
Chapter 11: Revelations, Resolutions  
  
Night warped into the Maverick Hunter Headquarters. He didn't warp into a cell, as planned. He landed in the training area, surrounded by charged busters and lit plasma swords. Directly in front of him was Alia, a plasma rifle in her steady hand. With a shrug, he walked straight up to her. "You guys went through all the trouble of a welcoming committee? Thanks."  
  
"Night, what're you-" Alia started to ask.  
  
"Put this baby in the fridge. Daddy gone fishin' and got himself a whopper!" Night tossed the still-unconscious Maverick towards Alia, who barely caught it, a stupefied expression on her face.  
  
"Man, I need a nap. First time I didn't come home unconscious, and now I know why...Whew!" he muttered, walking out of the door, leaving several very confused Hunters.  
  
Just as they were starting to come out of their trances, another bolt of light flashed into their trap. "Ugh...what's with the bloody crowd?" Serrael said. She was rubbing her eyes as if she just woke up. She made a quick turn and shrugged. "Hmm...I'll be damned. G'Night." She started to push through the stunned crowd, headed for the open door.  
  
Alia was the first to find her voice. "Wait a minute! Who the hell ARE you and what where you doing on that base?!"  
  
"Guh...check your roster. I was there for the view." She didn't look back, still dragging herself through the Hunters, finally reaching the door. "Oh, yeah. We won." She stumbled through, intent on finding a bed.  
  
Alia stood there, one hand on her hip, the Maverick dropped on the floor. The other hand was fingering the safety on her gun between on and off too quickly to be seen. Her techs knew better and quickly made their exit, but the field Hunters just stood there, silent. "Okay...What the hell just happened?" she asked, her eyes a silent blaze.  
  
Silence, then the reply was unanimous. "WE WON!!!" The defense team turned in an instant into one big victory dance, Alia stuck somewhere in the middle of it.  
  
"WE ARE THE DRAGONS!!! WE ARE THE DRAGONS!!! NO TIME FOR LOSERS, 'CUZ WE ARE THE DRAGONS!!!"  
  
"SHUT UP!!!!" Alia screamed, trying to maintain some semblance of order. "And speaking of dragons, where's the guy I SENT to the base?" The silence returned, and as if on cue, a green flash of light landed in the room.  
  
"Boss!" they yelled, clearing a circle for him. He was on his knees, sparking and struggling to stay awake. His helmet visor was cracked and Buster wounds peppered his armor. With a deep grunt, he pulled himself up and fought through his unit, nearly crawling to Alia.  
  
"Did we win?" he asked, his voice faint and cracking.  
  
"Yeah. We won. How're you feeling?" she asked.  
  
"Great." he said, then fell to the floor, in emergency stasis.  
  
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The MMHQ was one big party after that, with the exception of a few areas. Alia's private quarters were avoided like the plague. Lifesavor was ready to use his worst weapon on anyone trying to disturb Slate's repairs: a conversation. Night was asleep in his quarters, the world gone to him. Little did he know, Serrael was in his quarters as well, sleeping in his brother's old bed. His brother and he had always refused to use stasis pods and after a day like that, Night finally knew why.  
  
Everywhere else, the 14th Unit was yelling their theme song at the top of their lungs. They were as drunk as reploids could get (which seemed to be pretty darn drunk) and had a serious mission. They must inebriate every Hunter on base. This was their first big mission without someone on their deathbed, and they were dying to celebrate.  
  
Douglas was an easy enough target. He was tinkering into the night as usual. Oblivious to the stifled cackles from outside, he gladly accepted the 'bottle of water' one of the Hunters handed him. Soon after, he was riding around in an old Mech, following the drinker's party with a huge crate of bottles and snacks.  
  
Their next target was Alia. They were confident after their first success, but still strode as quietly as possible, which wasn't very considering the whispered theme song and the un-oiled hydraulics of the Mech. The Commander stood at her door, pistol aimed at the procession as they arrived. After a tense moment, she grabbed three bottles and more snacks than should fit in her body and slammed the door. After a straight five minutes of applause, they continued on their quest.  
  
Their mission to the hero's chambers was met with failure, as neither would wake up. After a few carefully posed photos, they were returned to their beds and the procession headed for their final location. The most dangerous mission of all: Get Slate Drunk.  
  
They burst into the Medical Bay, ready for battle. They knew that Doc Talk would serve as the ultimate buzzkill and came prepared. Recruiting Douglas proved useful as they ran into the room, one of them wearing a shoulder-mounted cannon. The Doc rose to stop them, only to be knocked out by a precision shot from Douglas's replicate of Vile's famous weapon. Slate was sitting up in a cot, staring at a news report on the vid.  
  
"BOSS!!!" they yelled, swarming him. He raised a hand, not looking in their direction.  
  
"I thought I taught you jackasses some discipline. Guess not. Go to the training room. I want you to run through the Third Sigma Fortress, then the Second, then the Third again. Do it until you're all in stasis. And leave a bottle." he said, then proceeded to ignore them. The Unit left the medical bay in a march. When they reached the hall, one of them spoke up.  
  
"Hey, guys...if he kept the bottle, doesn't that mean-"  
  
"WE WON!!! WE ARE THE DRAGONS! WE ARE-" They marched into the training facility, turning on the holographic projector, singing as they went.  
  
Slate watched the report unfold, lost to the world.  
  
"-band of Mavericks attacked the Global Defense Air Force base today, damaging several buildings and destroying several planes. The majority of reploids on base were destroyed by some form of sustained plasma weapons or by being literally ripped apart. Rumors of illegal Animal-based reploids being involved are unconfirmed. Fortunately, there was no loss of life. GDC Head Councilman Julian Garamond is expected to give a statement-"  
  
He turned off the monitor, reaching for the bottle of alcohol.  
  
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"Geez...why'd you wake me up this early...?" Night said. It was 0800 and he was stuck in the Briefing Room. It was obvious it hadn't been used in a long time. The entire room was spotless, barely lived in, if at all. On outside of the curved center table, Night, Serrael, and Slate were sitting in varying degrees of consciousness. In the center, Alia was typing away at her laptop, grumbling under her breath.  
  
"You're here because I still don't have a damn clue what went on this week," she said. "First things first, how are you, Slate?"  
  
"Fine." That said, he put his head in his arms and dozed off.  
  
"Okay...Now, who the hell ARE you, lady?" Alia's voice took a harsh drop as she leaned to the side, glaring straight at her target.  
  
Serrael yawned, stretched her arms, then after a few moments, she answered. "Serrael Ashton. I'm the tactical officer replacement for Nighty- "  
  
"I didn't request any new officers! Where do you come from?!"  
  
Serrael yawned again, waving her arm as if to dismiss the question. "Nowhere, really. I'm registered, if you've got any more stupid queries."  
  
"Stupid qu-! Now, you listen here, you little-"  
  
"Boss!" Night groaned. "Let it go. It's too early for this. Now, can we get this over with?"  
  
The two women stared daggers at each other, then finally relented. Alia started typing again. "Hmm...it all checks out." Alia grunted, lowering the computer screen. "Now...from the top, the VERY top. The ERF, what happened in there with that fire guy, Night?"  
  
"I got in, made it to the R&D area, fought Ignis...He almost had me, but some sort of override went off, and I knocked him into a power cord." Night had a far-off look in his eyes as he spoke. Unconsciously, Serrael put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"You said something about an override? What do you mean, override?"  
  
"I dunno, the same thing happened the day Sol got kidnapped. All of sudden, I had dash boots and plasma blades. It seems to happen whenever I need it...Some sort of nanotech."  
  
"Hmm...I guess X picked up on the family trend of stupid heroics...Okay, now, how about NTN?"  
  
"After the transmission, after she...well, I stole the last Chaser we had and took off. I bumped into Serrael on the way, and she insisted on going. I fought Aqueous, while Ser helped the GDC free the hostages. I...I...well, the override happened again, and I used one of Ignis's attacks. Blew up her gun arm."  
  
"And what in God's name were you doing there, 'Ser'?" Alia asked. "Last time I checked, technicians stay in the CC with me."  
  
"Yeah, well, I knew Nadia. I thought I could stop her...she always hated violence."  
  
"Wait a minute, you KNEW her?! How?!"  
  
"Old job." Ser didn't miss a beat, but it was obvious that Alia didn't believe that answer. Regardless, she let it slide.  
  
"Fine, fine. Now...what happened at GDAir? Slate?" Alia asked.  
  
Slate grunted, giving half of a shrug. "Ask the broad."  
  
Serrael was averting her eyes. "Why, whatever do you mean? He's the Mega Man."  
  
"There's too much damn attitude in this damn room...Night, what happened?"  
  
Night took a quick look around the room, a guilty look on his face. "Ser heard me shut you down. She went, so I had to follow her. Apparently, the Angel was stealing planes. She went AWOL on me, and Slate saved my ass a couple of times. Every reploid on base was under Aerin's control-"  
  
"Wait, Aerin?" Alia said. Her laptop was back up and her hands were working at a furious pace.  
  
"Goldilocks in the Brig. Slate held them off so I could get in and beat Aerin. I took her-"  
  
Serrael cleared her throat rather loudly, and since she was a reploid, the noise was obviously no accident.  
  
"We took her down, and Ser landed the base."  
  
Alia typed on for a second, then froze. "L-landed?! The base was flying?!"  
  
Slate pulled himself up. "Yup. It was headed straight for Elysium, which narrows down where their base could be to there or Neo Tokyo. Somewhere on that path."  
  
After a few more seconds of frenzied work, Alia slowly closed her laptop. "Okay...someone's lying. According to the official reports, a bunch of Mavs killed every reploid on base and stole a handful of old jets. We're being blamed for not answering an alarm we never got."  
  
Both Night and Serrael slammed their fist on the table. Slate merely bowed his head.  
  
"This is a load of crap!"  
  
"That's bloody bullshit! Why'd they spare the humans, then?!"  
  
Night grabbed Alia's laptop and read the report for himself. "This...this can't be right! Old jets, my ass! Those were state-of-the-art GDAir AutoJets. And no one got killed, human or reploid!!! Slate made sure not to hurt anyone. He was deflecting their shots with his spear! You saw how busted up he got!"  
  
Alia nodded, then sighed. "This doesn't make any sense. None of you could have done the damage in the reports, anyway. Reploids were torn to pieces. Fatal bites, shredding, and some serious sustained plasma wounds. That much is real, but I don't know how..."  
  
"Plasma? You mean, like a Buster?"  
  
Slate cut in. "A flamethrower. A Buster will blast you. That thing melted those guys. More than that, they got turned to ashes."  
  
Alia had retrieved her laptop and was quickly running her findings throguh the registry when Slate's word made her pause again. "You say that like you're familiar with the weapon. Any info?"  
  
"I ran into similar weapons in my pre-Hunter days. Let's just say you won't get many survivor reports..." His voice seemed hollow as his eyes lost focus, looking at something far away.  
  
"Did any of you see anything like this on the attackers?"  
  
All three shook their heads. Night rose to his feet, Serrael quick to follow.  
  
"I'll see what Aerin knows, maybe see if Aqueous might be a little more helpful. Come on, Ser. You in, bunny boy?"  
  
The expected retort never came. "I'm still out of it from the fight. I'll see if I can help Alia here."  
  
Night gave him a curious look, then shrugged and left the room. Serrael hesitated a moment longer, as if she wanted to say something, but seemed to decide against it and ran to catch up. Now alone, Alia and Slate watched the door, then slowly turned to each other.  
  
"Alia-" Alia raised a hand, silencing him.  
  
"Slate, this has nothing to do with your dreams. I'd have nightmares too, if I did what you had to do."  
  
"Alia, this isn't just a nightmare. I have gaps in my mind. I remember blocking shots, then I was here, almost offline. Something happened, and it has nothing to do with my past. No assassin would use a SP."  
  
"Look...you're the best Hunter we've got right now. With Sol gone, and with Night so inexperienced, you're our best chance. I don't care what you did before, and neither should you. You took a bad hit, that's all."  
  
"Alia, don't be so blind! My dreams! I was-"  
  
"That's all, Unit Commander. Now, get some rest. Maybe even look into some sort of meditation. It could help you." Alia's voice was hard, carrying a tone of authority, but her face was full of concern. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "It helped my temper immensely."  
  
A smile made it's way into Slate's serious expression as he rose to leave. "Then how were you before?!"  
  
"No one's left to say. Now, get out! I've got work to do!!! The GDC wants to crucify me, and I'm not about to be their whipping boy..."  
  
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There was a new inmate in the Hunter Brig, and no one seemed to like the new arrangement, least of all the current resident. Nadia had quickly come out of herself upon seeing Aerin unceremoniously dumped into the cell, disarmed, and proceeded to try to force the door. "You can't do this! You've got a whole block of cells, damn you!" Her cries fell upon deaf ears and she soon slumped to the floor. "Why me..."  
  
Aerin was unconscious for several hours, in which a battle raged in Nadia's mind. "She looks so innocent in her sleep...no, it's jsut my imagination! Should I kill her?? No...I'll never survive this if they think I'm still a Maverick...Am I? What, what's happening to me?"  
  
A soft groan silenced her muttering. "Mmm...this isn't my room. Wonder where..."  
  
"You're not home, Rena." Nadia said, staring off into the distance. It had begun.  
  
"Oh, it's Ice Bitch...Heard you went ballistic, kill a bunch of fleshbags. There a TV here? Jintaromon is on!"  
  
"It's a steel box. There's no TV here, so sit quietly!"  
  
"Ooh! Brrrrr..." Her giggle sent a shiver through Nadia's spine. "You've been so mean to me...baby mad cuz widdle Jawan got bawbecued?"  
  
"Fuck you." Nadia faced away from her, a tear trailing down her face.  
  
"Whatever. Leaky bitch." Rena turned her back as well, humming to herself.  
  
"Stop that!"  
  
"Geez...if I can't watch Jintaromon, then I'm gonna pretend, so there! Nya!" She stuck out her tongue and turned back to her corner, lost in her dream world.  
  
Nadia zoned her out, preferring to return to her own memories. She had found the ability to be the only thing keeping her sane. For hours at a time, she would relive her times with Jaran, consciously avoiding their last week, the week Master came to them. "It all went wrong from there..."  
  
Rena stopped her humming, cursing under her breath. "Do you KNOW how annoying it is to think aloud? Keep it stowed, Leaky." Then, as if nothing had happened, she went back to fantasy land.  
  
Night's arrival interrupted any response. He stepped in, frowning at both of them, his armor at the ready. Nadia stepped back and fell onto a cot upon his entrance. The door closed after him, and he crossed his arms, watching the two women for a moment before speaking.  
  
"All right...let's start from the beginning. Where's Sol?"  
  
Rena spun around, jumping closer to Night. "He's at our house! He plays with me, and, and, I RIPPED OUT HIS REACTOR!!!"  
  
"You little-" Night raised his fist, but Nadia held him back with her remaining arm.  
  
"Don't let her get to you. She's...playing. Sol's fine. He's being treated well, and he'll leave when he's ready to."  
  
Night pushed her away, shaking his head. "That doesn't make sense! Why would he stay with Mavericks?!"  
  
"Like, DUH, cuz we're not!" Rena laughed, then jumped into Nadia's lap, hugging her. "We'w not bad, aw we, Nadia?" Stifling a groan, she stroked the girl's hair, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"She's right. We're not Mavs, we're Christians. We wanted to start a church, under Father William Ashton. Humans have denied that to us for too long. We were going to bring peace to our people, give them hope..."  
  
Night pondered this for a moment, leaning back on the wall. "Then why were you stealing planes and killing reporters? Not very Christlike."  
  
Tears began to form in Nadia's eyes. "I...I don't know why I did it!" Her sadness quickly shifted as he looked at him. "Why did you kill Jaran?!"  
  
Night sighed. He knew this would come. "It was an accident. He was...something happened to him. He tried to kill me, and I, I just pushed him off me. I didn't see the..." He voice trailed off. The scene played back in his head. He did see it. Part of him knew, part of him planned on it.  
  
"BUG ZAPPER! BZZZZZZZZZZZZ-AAARGHHHH!!!!" Rena laughed again, nuzzling her cheek on Nadia's shoulder. Night frowned, but Nadia gave a sad smile.  
  
"She wasn't always like this...But, the modifications changed her. Changed Jaran. We all lost part of our minds, I think. We all changed when Master came, even William."  
  
Night jumped at the name. "Master? Who is this Master, a Maverick?"  
  
Nadia shook her head. "Something else. Something...something evil. The devil himself, if I've ever seen him. He's the one that convinced William, convinced all of us that fighting was the solution. He did something. We'd all come so far, but he..." The tears in her eyes were falling freely. Rena touched her face, a big smile on her face.  
  
"Aww, sis! Don't cry...The old man gives us fun games to play! I got to play dollies, and robbers, and, and-" Nadia shushed her, slowly rocking the girl to sleep.  
  
"She's lost. Her mind was child-like, but the changes made her a warrior. She couldn't cope...she split. When we became Angels, we lost ourselves. All I could feel was vengeance against humans. Even my love...I couldn't hold on to it. Jaran was always wild, reckless. But he became violent. He made him a murderer!!!"  
  
Night couldn't think of anything to say. He just stood there for a moment, watching Nadia cry, still holding the resting Aerin. His own eyes were wet as the last few days came into focus. A hand touched his shoulder, waking him from his reverie. He stood, calling for the door to be opened. "I'll be back. I can't ask your forgiveness, but I want you to know I never wanted to hurt Jaran."  
  
"It's alright. The Jaran I loved died weeks ago." A smile return to her face, her eyes losing focus as she returned to her past.  
  
"I'll stop him. I'll stop Master, I swear it." He walked through the door. He stood outside, his fists clenched, staring at the floor. Next to him, Serrael became visible and wrapped her arms around him. He stared out of a window, looking into the morning sky. Slowly, he put an arm around her, holding her closer. "I'll bring your father back, I swear."  
  
For a long moment, neither spoke. Night's comm broke the silence, beeping as loud as ever.  
  
"Night here."  
  
Alia's voice on the other side "Night! Meet Slate's unit in the Armory, now! An Angel's coming straight here, and he's coming down Main Street with a whole damned army!"  
  
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(AN: What can I say? I guess without Imp's bubbling enthusiasm, I just couldn't push myself. I need you, Imp! Did you finally piss Zero off that much?! Well, anyways...the next chapter should be a lot faster. This G-PG13 preset on the site is crap, though, ain't it? Makes my story hard to find...  
  
Random Guy: Is that a bad thing? Hey, put down that pizza roller!!!  
  
Good night, everyone. Wanna slice?  
  
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	13. Chapter 12: The Streets Erupt

(AN: I don't own Mega Man. I don't own my house, my car, my life. Most of you don't, either. But I figured, as long as we were on the subject...do you know how much money you're paying in interest, only to have what you fought for taken by the bank?! Well, anyhoo...)

Chapter 12: The Streets Erupt

The Maintenance Bay of the Maverick Hunter Headquarters was abuzz with activity. The 14th unit was running to their assigned stations, Slate hot on their heels. A row of purple capsules lined the far wall, where Douglas quickly typed into a wall screen. "Finally, my X-Mech suits get some REAL action!" he yelled, grinning ear-to-ear.

Slate only groaned, standing before his troops. "If I see ANY of you smiling about this mission, I'll leave you here with Douglas, is that clear?!"

The Hunters snapped to attention. "Sir, yes, sir!"

Slate nodded, looking over the men and women standing before him. "Now...this is your first combat situation. Unlike the sims, if you tank this, we're not picking you up off the sidewalk. This is the real world, and in the real world, if you forget what I've drilled into your heads, you're junk metal, IS THAT CLEAR?!"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"14th Unit, sui-" 

Before he could finish his order, a warp interrupted him. Suddenly, Night was standing in front of him, arms crossed with a stern expression on his face.

"I'm going with you, Slate. What do I do?"

Slate nodded, slapping Night on the back. "About time you got serious, kid. Why the change of heart?"

"I don't like fighting innocents, but I finally found out who's guilty. Now, which one of those capsules is mine?"Slate pointed to a spare at the end of the line.

"And hurry up! 14th Unit...and company, suit up!"

As one, the Hunters stepped back into their capsules. Douglas pressed a button and they began to glow. The troops were surrounded by waves of violet energy as the capsules went to work, creating an almost blinding flash of light. When it was finished, they all stood nearly a head taller, their armor plated with purple metal. Their hands had been replaced by large metal claws, and as they stepped down, a loud crash rang through the Bay. The Neo-Chimera X-Mechs were ready for battle.

Night watched this with growing concern. His own capsule had flickered, then died. He looked around his capsule for some sort of switch, but nothing presented itself. "Damn it, Douglas, what did you..." His voice trailed off as the purple light returned, then shifted to a bright green. The capsule suddenly closed, a green visor rising the base. Before the confused eyes of the Hunters, the capsule's outer shell began to darken, becoming pitch black as the green light pulsed behind the visor. After a moment of awed silence, the machine suddenly died, the visor slowly dropping back into the machine. Everyone stared in surprise at what they saw.

Night's Armor had nearly doubled in size, raising his height by half. On each arm, a trio of plasma blades extended for more than a meter. Thrusters adorned his back and shoulders, softly humming as they activated. He stepped down, more determined than ever.

"Looks like the kid's got a new toy...showoff," Slate said, then slammed his fist into the garage control. "Dragons, let's move!"

"Sir, yes, sir!" They cried, dashing onto the streets. Night watched them go, then sighed.

"Should we give them a head start, or go save their lives now?"

Slate finally cracked a grin, pulling down the face of his helmet. "Let's make some scrap metal."

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"Okay, give me a display of Neo Tokyo, centered on the attack zone." Alia said, running for her chair. Almost before she hit the leather, she was typing into her console, bringing up wire-frame holograms of the 14th Unit. 50 miniature soldiers in combat armor adorned her personal screen, moving in sync with their real counterparts. "Well?!" she screamed.

The tech at the main screen scratched at his head, a blank expression on his face. "Uhh...hold on. Er, is this button or-"

"Oh, bloody hell! Move over, wank!" Seemingly out of nowhere, Serrael appeared next to the main terminal, knocking the Tech aside. She punched a few keys, humming to herself as she worked. "Got it! Cocky blokes...they're coming straight down Main Street...hundreds of basic humanoid robot units, some with busters, some with blades, and one big Mav..." The screen came to life, displaying a scale map of the local streets. Main Street made a straight line through the city, passing along the HQ's street entrance. Red blips covered a large part of the area, slowly making it's way south. 

"Got it. The 14th is moving out...Finally, someone who can do their damned job!" Alia muttered, glaring at the Techs and operators who had stopped what they were doing to gawk. They seemed to get the message, pouncing to action, adding their data to the swiftly changing display. At the southern end, rows of green blips made their way onto the screen, heading north. Behind them, a darker green and a purple icon followed. While the dark green blip joined the unit, the purple one rushed forward, leading the charge. "Wait a minute, is that-"

The sudden exclamation brought Serrael's eyes up from her terminal. Her expression went from confusion to shock in a flash. "Night! What in blazes does he think he's-"

"Crazy son a...Someone get me a goddamned feed to his comm!"

A Tech chimed in, "Negative, Boss! We've got interference on every channel! Our boys are going in blind as it is!"

Alia slumped lower into her chair. "Dammit...that kid better not die on me." After a brief sigh, she pulled herself up, the fire back in her eyes. "Hey, accent girl! Get to work on that damned interference!"

Serrael bristled, then got to it, though her humming turned noticeably darker. "Rude wench..."

On the screen, the red and green blips met, and the entire red mass focused on the new threat, the largest enemy icon watching from behind the ranks. The troops met, and Alia watched as one of her wire-frames flew backward, then turned red. "It's up to them, now..."

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The maverick charged forward. Over three meters of pure strength made its way towards the Hunters, an axe of plasma energy raised above his head. His robots charged ahead of him, firing as they moved, shields at the ready. The two forces closed, then met as the battle begun.

A cocky Hunter charged straight for the maverick, claws charged for a rush attack. "Take this, you monster!" he cried, thrusting forward with a dash burst. The maverick paused, a wide grin on his face. The Hunter attacked, his claw surrounded by plasma, screaming as he went. The maverick laughed, then brought down his axe. The Hunter's armor exploded in a flash of light, his emergency warp barely activating in time to miss a second strike. He watched the battle around him unfold, arms crossed. Suddenly, his voice boomed across the field. "Hunters! Bring me Night or I will kill everyone in this city, starting with all of you!" 

From the midst of the battle, Night heard his demand. The Hunters were being pushed back by the sheer numbers of robots, the battle spreading out into buildings and spreading to other streets. Slate had disappeared in the first wave and the comms seemed to be jammed, leaving the field in chaos. Night himself stood with a few Hunters, slashing their way through the ranks to regroup. His blades were in constant motion, tearing through the enemies as if they were nothing, but still more came. As the leader's cry reached him, Night swore under his breath. "Big surprise..."

The Hunter closest to him dashed forward, slamming a claw into a Joe, breaking its shield and the bot itself in a single strike. "Go kick his ass, Night! The Dragons got this covered, right guys?!"

The voices nearby echoed, "Hell...yeah! We be Dragons!"

With a smirk, Night nodded, putting his thrusters into a full burst. He cut a beeline through the wall of enemies, hacking his way towards the towering shape waiting just beyond the carnage. "Maybe I can end this before it gets out of hand..."

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"'Allie! We just lost another one!" Serrael's fingers flew across the board, going over the combat data in her mind. "We're cutting them down, but they're like weeds!"

Alia sighed, checking the roster on her screen. "Hmm...he's all right, and joining up with the defense team. Damn it, and we've already lost five NCs! Any progress on the jam?"

"Nope! This is...it's way beyond anything I've cracked. The codes keep changing...it's almost as if." Serrael barely suppressed a gasp, but swiftly shook her head. "...never mind what, but it's hard!"

"Damn it! All I can do is sit here and wait..." Alia mumbled.

Serrael frowned, watching the red wave on screen push further south. A purple icon broke through the line, stopping before the largest red dot. "You and me both, Allie...you and me both."

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The two reploids met, pausing to examine each other. Night had never seen a reploid so tall. Green armor plates covered his frame, looking as if they were bolted on. The maverick stared down at his opponent, then spoke in a strangely calm voice. "I am...Terrus. Surrender your life now and this ends."

Night remained still as the maverick rose his axe high. "Killing me won't end this, Brand! Call off the bots!"

The axe wavered, its owner's expression darkening. "You...how do you know my name?!" 

"Nadia told me. She's at Headquarter with Rena. Both unharmed."

Terrus slowly lowered his weapon, a frown of confusion on his face. Shaking his head, he lifted it again, fury in his eyes. "But...that can't be true! He said you killed them! He said-"

Night lifted his hands, cutting off his blades. "Master lied. I don't want to fight you, Brand. We both know that's not the answer! Call off the robots. We can discuss this!"

Terrus sighed, then nodded. The blades of his axe faded, then extinguished, and he stabbed the haft into the ground. As if on cue, the entire robot force stopped what it was doing, pausing in mid-strike. "I...somehow I trust you. Say what you will."

Night stepped forward, arms raised. Even unarmed, the maverick was intimidating, his forearm almost half Night's size. "Look... Probably, I like humans less than you do, but Master's insanity isn't the way to solve this! Nadia told me you were devoted to your God. Do you believe that he would condone genocide, whatever the reason?"

Terrus frowned, deep in thought. "You are right...My God, what did he do to us...What-" A shiver ran through his body, and he reared up to his full height. 

"Brand, what's-"

"No!!! I...I can't..." Terrus grabbed at his head, groaning in pain. Sparks began to rise from his armor. His body tensed as he fell to his knees. "It's...GET OUT OF HERE!!!" His eyes flashed purple, flickering and dying, the flames slowly growing stronger. Night felt himself stepping back, watching in horror as the glowing flames engulfed him. A scream rang out through the city, shocking those nearby, bringing everything to a halt. The flames receded, seeming to seem into Terrus's armor. Silently, he rose. 

"Brand, are you-"

"GRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" The cry roused the robot army from its stasis, catching the Hunters off guard. Terrus ripped his axe from the ground and raised the haft over his head once again. Twin blades of purple fire came to life, then slammed down, sending Night flying backward into the crowd. His armor flashed green, then returned to its normal state. Another scream of primal rage followed, as Terrus charged. Still in shock, the Hunters began to give ground.

_____________________________________________________________

"Alia, they've started fighting again...Night! He's been hit!" Serrael watched, frozen, as the screen became a swarm of red, green lights blinking out several at a time.

"Oh, dammit...half of the unit's out of commission! Get me my damn comms!" Alia looked at her screen. Many of the wireframes had gone completely red, and many others showed signs of damage. At this rate, they would be overwhelmed

"Got it, finally! Opening a channel!" A corner of the screen came to life, showing a very aggravated Slate.

"I'm busy, Alia! Hell just broke loose down here!" Slate looked up, then cut his comm. 

"That stupid son of a bitch!!!" Alia then proceeded to swear under her breath in a variety of languages. "Hey, you! Any sign of the damned GDC?" she yelled.

"I can hear you!...And no, they're on their own." Serrael leaned back in his chair. Her arms fell to her side as she looked up. "All we can do is watch."

_____________________________________________________________

Slate was surrounded. He had been forced into what used to be a hotel lobby. The hail of fire had removed any sort of resemblance to its former self, as the room became a battlefield. Slate twirled his Dragon Tail, deflecting a blast from a nearby bot. Leaping over its head, he turned in midair, slicing through its head with one of the Tail's ends. The explosion caught him in the back, knocking him to his knees. Another pair, wielding plasma blades rushed him. He dashed between them, the ends of his Tail extending to cut through their midsections. Another wave of shrapnel sent him flying.

"Damn things must have explosives in them...," he muttered. Pulling himself up, he found himself staring at a pair of white boots, slightly too large to be human. His gaze rose to look into the eyes of a reploid with a grin glued to his face. Slate swore under his breath, then found his temper rising. "Damn it, help me up! There's a war outside if you haven't noticed!" 

The reploid laughed, pulling Slate to his feet. "Oh, I noticed." Slate grunted, heading for the exit. "But you should be more worried about the war in here..."

Slate turned, his Dragon Tail at the ready. "And who the hell are..." He blinked, lifting the visor of his helmet. A smile formed on his face, and he motioned for the exit. "About damn time you got here! We got a hell of a fight out-"

The last thing Slate saw was two arms turning to busters, then everything went dark.

_____________________________________________________________

Night was running for his life. The axe flew at him again and again, cleaving through anything in its way. Each time it struck the ground, a wave of burning concrete flew at him, burning his armor. He felt his energy fading by the repeated punishment as he fought desperately to avoid the ever-striking axe. He'd learned that, while too weak to lift the huge reploid, Terrus's wings added a deadly speed and power to his strikes. Ducking under an overhand swing, Night slashed with his Dual Blades, then passed through Terrus' legs. A howl of pain and another attack soon followed, sending another hail of molten rock into his back. _I'm already down to half power_..._One real hit with that thing and I'm dead...What am I gonna do?!_

"Brand! Snap out of it! Fight the Virus!" Night screamed, dashing backwards, the blade slashing through the space where his head would have been. Terrus only screamed again, the purple flames glowing brighter in his eyes. Night kept going backwards until a wall stopped him. He barely managed to step aside as the axe sliced a new window into the building. As Night dashed out of the way, gaining distance with a second burst. "I've got no choice! Take this!!!" 

The purple status bar came into his vision, then quickly drained by a quarter. The vents appeared, then covered him in a shield of flames, hurtling him towards the startled Terrus, who managed to slam his axe into the ground and bring his arms up before they collided.

The ground gave way behind Terrus as he slid backward, putting of his strength into resisting the force of the Fire Strike. His wings flared, straining against the force. Night pressed forward, forcing more power into his attack. The bar slowly dropped as they squared off. Through the flames, Night could see the heat crack and warp his target's armor, but a grim smile was on the possessed reploid's face. Night felt his probe energy drop to half, then a quarter...

Terrus's grin grew wider as he felt the pressure slacken. With a cry of victory, he pulled back and swung an arm at the burning Hunter. Night flew backward, landing in a heap. Cackling, Terrus pulled his axe out of the ground, then slowly marched towards his victim.

_I'm screwed, _Night thought. The purple bar had bottomed out, rising far too slowly for comfort, and the green one that showed his life had begun to flash red. _Down to 25%...what now? Isn't this when I get a new toy or something? _As if on cue, the green letters came to life before his eyes.

ACTIVATE CYCLONE SYS.? 

WARNING - OTHER ABILITIES WILL NOT FUNCTION WHILE IN AGILE MODE...

_As if they'd help anyway. Do it! _The gold vents closed, then disappeared. He watched in terror as Terrus came closer, laughing at the top of his lungs. 

"The hell kind of power is that?!" he yelled. He stood, raising his arms in a hopeless defense. "I hope you know you're going to hell with me, you damn armor!!!" Terrus stopped, staring down at Night, the fire blazing in his eyes.

The axe rose, then fell. "No!" Night tried to turn on his blades, and found himself flying off to the side, spinning like a top. A second burst brought him to a halt. He looked down, watching as wider vents rose from his gauntlets, facing the opposite direction as his blades. "Okay...that's more like it!"

Terrus charged forward, enraged at the loss of his prey. The axe moved in a blur, but Night was faster, flipping with a dash burst over the swing, and with a second burst, over Terrus's head. Firing the boosters in his arms, he spun again, facing his opponent's back, dashing away as soon as he hit the ground. "Great! Now, now give me an attack!" he yelled, glaring down at his armor. Answering him again, the text replied:

CYCLONE SYS. ACTIVATED. AUXILIARY THRUSTERS AND BLADE SPIN ONLINE.

Nights blades came back to life as Terrus closed the gap between them, axe swinging wildly through the air. He spun to the side, blades outstretched, cutting through Terrus's damaged armor with a series of strikes, slicing through the thrusters on his back.. Terrus charged onward, stumbling fin pain but forced onward by his failing wings. Night stopped spinning in time to see Terrus stop, both of them breathing heavily. The axe fell from the maverick's hands as he looked down, seeing the purple blood flowing from his wound. He turned, staring in blind fury at Night. He ran forward, intent on pummeling Night to death, screaming in fury. At the last moment, Night launched himself upwards, spinning as he went. Slash after slash cut into Terrus, bringing him to his knees. With a yell, Night landed feet-first onto the giant's head. 

He landed, ready to attack again. Terrus stared blankly at him, the purple glow of the Virus flickering, then disappearing. "God...God forgive me." He fell, locked in stasis.

With a sigh, Night sat on his back, shaking his head as they warped to the Brig.

_____________________________________________________________

On the screen, a large green icon winked out. "Slate..." Alia grumbled. "His vitals are fine, ignore it!" The techs shrugged, then got back to work.

The large red icon, bearing the stylized A of the Angel Corps winked out. The purple mark soon followed, disappearing from the map.

"Night!" Alia and Serrael cried in unison. They were both at their terminals in a flash, typing away. Both sighed, and fell back into their seats.

"He's okay," they said, then looked up at the screen.

They had assumed that the robots would stop when their leader was taken down. On the contrary, they seemed to become enraged, swarming around Hunters, sending the battle into total confusion. Things seemed worse than ever, with only ten Hunters left, after 26 had escaped and another 14 were unaccounted for. when suddenly red blips started disappearing. A wide circle on the west side of the street winked out, then a line cut through the middle of the field, clearing out robots and Hunters alike. In shock, those in the Command Center watched as the lights went out one by one, until the street was silent.

_____________________________________________________________

(What the hell...Well, I won't make excuses. I literally couldn't make myself write for a bit. Procrastination's not just a weakness, it's a disease. Don't let it take you, too! I started this damn story about 10 times...Ah, well.

Random Guy: Well, hurry up next time, you little punk! I was waiting to read this!

Yeah, yeah. I'll spare his life this time...nah, maybe next time.)


	14. Chapter 13: The Dragon Flame Burns

__

(AN: I don't MMX and crew. If I did, Alia would be serving me drinks in a pink steel bikine, Zero would be boinking a much-alive Iris somewhere off the coast of Cozumel and X would shut the fuck up about being so conflicted. You know you like it, the feeling of destuction coming out of your arms...Freakin' lefty. Gah, that wasn't me, that was my evil alter-ego, Francis. well, except for the Alia and Zero bits. Anyhoo....)

Chapter 13: The Dragon Flame Burns

In a flash of light, Night returned to what he thought would be a battlefield. Instead, he found a wasteland.

Buildings were ablaze, covering the area in a smoky, crimson haze. As far as Night could see, there was only devastation. Cars melted to scrap, storefronts smashed in, not a single pane of glass unshattered. Night stared in shock at the chaos, at the stillness of the place. There were no alarms, no screams. Only the sound of crackling flames and the occasional snap of collapse. "Dear...God. If those people hadn't fled..." 

Then, for the first time, his gaze dropped from the buildings, down to the streets, where a battle had once raged.

As his mind wrapped around what he saw, he unconsciously took a backward step, and he heard the sound of metal crunching. The entire street was lined with the broken forms of the robots. Parts lay in unrecognizable heaps, others as mere slag before some furious flame. Armor that had once proudly shone now lay scattered across the field, warped into gruesome shapes. 

Night was shaken from his trance when he noticed a flash of green among the red armor of the destroyed robot army. Dashing forward, he fell to his knees and dug through the scrap. With a final heave, he cleared the way to what had once been a Hunter. The eyes were open, frozen in an expression of shock, lifeless while the face seemed still alive, unmarked among the chaos. More rubble was removed and the cause of his death was revealed. His body stopped at chest level, whatever other part of him had gone. "This had to be aimed," Night muttered, forcing himself to think instead of feel. "From the very top of his fusion core..." Night rose from his knees, and soon found the rest of the unit that had escaped. Each bore a similar fate, either their cores or the control chips on their heads crushed. 

"H...h, help..." Night jumped at the sound. He found another Hunter, this one still alive, but barely. His core, though not destroyed, was damaged to a point even Night knew could not be repaired.

"Hold on, man. I'm gonna get you outta here." Night said. Then, on his comm. "Alia, we've got-"

"Too late...Night. Dying. The...the monster, it..." His voice trailed off, then was silent. Night bowed his head, holding the Hunter's hand firmly, trying to fight back the emotions forcing themselves onto his mind. His mind reached out for anything else to focus on, and found something. Footsteps, erratic...a low groan after every step. Night followed the sound, his gaze locking onto the only survivor.

His armor was scored by plasma fire, gone in several places, showing synthskin and in part, the wiring underneath. Slate's eyes were focused on the horizon, in the direction he was forcing his battered legs to march. One arm hung limp, the other wrapped around his chest, but still, he took another step, teeth clenched to ward off the pain.

Night ran to him, trying to get his attention, but nothing seemed to work. "Slate...buddy...partner...bunny rabbit?!" Night had to walk quickly to keep up, yet Slate didn't seem to acknowledge him. The echo of two comms rang out after them, a voice screaming at them.

"Night, report! What's going on down-" Night had tried to put his hand on Slate's shoulder. The next moment, he was in the air, suspended by Slate's working arm. He felt the grip tighten, threatening to snap off his head.

"Slate, stop it! Snap out of it, aaagh!!" Night felt himself falling into stasis, and was almost gone before the pressure suddenly slackened and they both fell to the ground. Night looked up to see Alia, a stun pistol pointed at where Slate's head had been. Her eyes slowly scanned the wreckage, then closed.

"Let's get out of here. They might attack again and we lost 10 Hunters here...and if they could do this, we need everything we've got."

Two flashes of light shot into the sky, and the smoking ruin returned to its grim silence, glowing red in the sunset.

_____________________________________________________________

"How is he?" Night asked, his face downcast with worry. He was still in his armor, lying back in the waiting room of Medical Bay. Alia leaned on the door, arms crossed, hugging her laptop to herself. For a few moments, she just stared ahead, then sighed. He'd rarely seen her like this, and it bothered him almost as much as the battlefield.

"We can't wake him. He's moving around so much we had to strap him down. It's...it's as if he's having a nightmare." Alia rubbed her forehead, swearing under her breath. "Aside from that arm, the damage was superficial. We don't have a clue why only he survived, or why he survived like _that_."

Night groaned, then rose, putting a hand on Alia's shoulder. "I'll ask the inmates about it." Walking off, he said, "With the shield up, we should be safe for a while. You should get some rest!"

Alia grunted, stepping into the Bay. It was empty, all of those injured from the battle sent to their quarters to recover. _Either they were barely hurt or... _She sighed, sitting on the cot next to a shaking Slate. His eyes were wide open, staring at something above the ceiling. His face was frozen in an expression of shock. The only sound in the room was his constant shivering and the groan of his restraints, the metal doing its best to keep its shape. She placed a hand on his chest and he visibly relaxed. "What did you see out there, kid..."

"He's dreaming, you know." Alia jumped as Lifesavor made his presence known. He was in his thinking position, leaning back at his desk, a display locked in his gaze. A small frown was on his face, and even that seemed like an extreme effort to him, as if he were completely drained. A grim chuckle came out of him like a cough. "There's nothing wrong with the machinery, but the software's crashing. I can't tell what's memory, what's imagination, what's just gibberish..."

Alia looked back to Slate. His expression had softened and now his body seemed to relax, though not completely, jerking as she broke contact. She leaned back in her chair, reserved to what appeared to be her immediate future, and opened her laptop. With her free hand, she began to type her report.

_____________________________________________________________

"You don't know?!" Night exclaimed. He was trying as hard as he could to stare down the Angel now known to him as Brand, but the fact that he was face-to-face with Brand's stomach made it difficult. Perched atop his shoulder, Rena made faces at him, making his bad mood promote itself to annoyance and then outright anger. "It was your mission, how the hell would you NOT know?!"

Brand shrugged, not seeming to mind the girl's weight or Night's homicidal glare. After a moment of silence, he spoke in a tone that was calm and barely loud enough to be heard. "I was...different. I do not know why I attacked. None of the Angel Corps has the kind of power to do what you say was done. I am sorry."

"Fine, you don't know about the attack. Where's my brother?!" Night yelled, although not as loud as before. Logic was a stronger force in a reploid than in a human, most of the time, and his logic circuits were practically screaming that annoying someone large enough to smash in your head without lifting his elbow is a bad idea.

"He is unhurt. I...I do not remember his location within out base." Brand's brow wrinkled as he searched for parts of his memory that he couldn't find. "I believe I have been tampered with."

Night groaned, rubbing his forehead. _Where was this guy when they were handing out processors... _"So you don't know anything I want to know...How about where the Angel's base is?" 

Brand nodded. "It is-"

"No. Don't tell him yet." The voice startled both of them, and Brand's sudden change in posture knocked Rena to the floor. A muffled 'ouch' soon followed. Serrael appeared between them, her face expressionless.

"Ser? Why can't he- Hell, why won't you tell me where the base is?!" Night exclaimed. Turning to face him, she ushered him out of the room.

"Nighty, you're not ready for this-"

"People are DYING, Ser! I have to put an end to this now!"

She put her hands on his shoulders, staring him straight in face. "You have to push that anger aside, love. We both want to stop Master, but if you go in there now, unprepared and inexperienced, they'll kill you and that's the last chance we've got."

Night shook his head, trying to break away. "But I won't lose! If I'm not strong enough, the probes will-"

Serrael shook her head firmly, tightening her grip. Her eyes began to glow with that green light, and Night could feel himself focusing on her words, whether he wanted to or not. "Yes, when you're practically totaled. And what you've been fightin' before is just the second class. The other four are built fighters and can use the elements in their attacks, just like you. You might beat an Archangel, maybe two, but then they've got you. Trust me. Please?" 

Finally breaking the trance, he pulled himself from her, turning away. "Fine. But don't ever do that again, you got that?" Not waiting for an answer, he stalked off towards the training center.

"Night-"

"Never!" Then he was gone.

_____________________________________________________________

"Gnnn...the hell'd I drink?" Slate sat up, or tried to, but soon found himself strapped to a bed. "The Hell'd I do?!"

"You're finally awake." Alia said, saving her report and sending her laptop back to her office. "Doc, take off the restraints."

Bristling at the nickname, Lifesavor pressed a few keys and the straps were sucked back into the cot.

"How're you feelin', kid?" Alia asked, geniune concern on her face. The way she was looking at him made Slate nervous.

"Uhh...a little woozy and I can't remember anything recent...The attack! What happened?!" He was on his feet in an instant, pulling Alia up with him.

"Don't overdo it. You just came to." Now Alia was staring intent at a spot to the left of his face and somehow that look worried him more. He felt himself flop back onto the bed.

"Tell it straight and tell it quick. I know that face."

Alia nodded, then sighed, pacing the room. "Night got the Maverick, but instead of stopping those robots, they only got madder. Then, something happened and...and..."

"Alia." He looked up at her with a pained expression. He'd never seen her short of words and images were starting to creep into his mind.

"Something came out of nowhere and leveled the place. All of the robots were scrapped. And ten of your men. I'm sorry."

Slate was silent, staring into the floor. Then, with a deep release of breath, he rose to his feet. "Hunters must always be prepared to not come back...that's in the rules, right? I'll read the roster in my quarters, make up whatever reports you need." He marched off, not a hint of his thoughts escaping from his movement.

Alia sighed, running her hands through her hair. "This is one hell of a job, isn't it, Doc?"

To her surprise, he replied, "Only when you can't put them back together. Keep an eye on him, Alia. You don't come out of that kind of trauma without some sort of scarring."

She nodded, then made her way to her office, lost deep in thought.

_____________________________________________________________

Beneath the calm expression, a fire raged in Slate's mind. In the corner of his mind, a picture of the devastated streets played over and over, blinding his thoughts. Somewhere deeper, the only part of his mind that seemed able to truly function, he was forcing himself to walk calmly to his quarters. Yet he didn't arrive there.

Before he understood what he was doing, he finished the code to open Nadia's cell, after making certain the rest of the Brig was empty. The door slid open with a mechanical hiss, and Nadia looked up and smiled, putting an e-book on her bed.

"Night, what brings you here? I mean, something seems to be happening, but no one will tell me-"

"One of the Angels killed ten Hunters. Which one of you is capable of a sustained plasma attack?" He stood there, staring down at her, barely masking the rage and confusion in his mind.

She flinced at the question, her face curling into a deep frown. Her eyes lost focus, then stared back into his stone glare. "Sustained plasma....no one. That's barbaric-"

"Hmmph. Right up your alley, steam demon. Now, who was it?!" The pretense of calm was shattered, and she reeled from the look in his eyes.

"I, I, I told you. None of us could do something like-" She tried to shy away, but before her mind grasped what was happening, her head slammed into the wall, her feet dangling nearly a feet from the floor.

"Bullshit!!! If you won't tell me who, I'll just have to kill them all! Where is your base?!" He practically screamed the words, but the soundproofing of the cells was total. No one could know what was going on.

"Night, you'll be killed!" The grip on her throat tightened.

"Maybe when I'm through with them, now speak!!!"

The door to her cell opened and Slate walked out. He looked back at the figure lying on the floor, bruises and rivulets of purple blood spread over her face. From somewhere within him, a laugh escaped and the door closed.

_____________________________________________________________

Douglas walked into the Command Center, where Alia was sitting in her chair, glaring at the report on her screen that she had half-written. Every few moments one of the techs would look up from their work to meet a look that made them find a sudden dire interest in their screens. "This isn't going to be easy..."

"Er, Alia, sir, ma'am?" Douglas scratched his head, standing nearly at attention. " I've got something, er, I've gotta talk to you about...somewhere private?" The way he spoke and the sheepish grin that followed earned him a dark stare from Alia.

"You. Briefing Room. Now. And you better have a manifest of exactly what you broke." She marched into the room, hand idly playing with the safety of her pistol as she walked. Douglas soon followed, making a few hurried hellos before dragging himself into the room, closing the wooden door behind him.

The sound of yelling easily penetrated the material, causing a few chuckles from the younger techs, and a wary glance from the veterans, who all knew that rivers ran downhill, and waterfalls were not all that pleasant. Then, there was silence. Alia trudged out of the room, swearing to herself, pistol in hand as she fingered the safety faster than before. She sat down at her seat, typed a few hasty commands, and sighed.

"Ally, the bloody main system's trying to drop the warp shield! But...there's no sign of tampering, and everything seems fine... What the hell's going on?!" Serrael had been firmly glued to her post, not looking up, but not pressing anything either. The rest had given her a wide berth, but now all eyes were on her.

"Confirm the command. Bring the shield down. We'll lure them here, where they can't do any harm."

Serrael looked up in shock, shaking her head. "With all due respect, boss, are you nuts?! If that, that THING comes here, it could-"

Several shots were fired, and in the confusion everyone froze. Each blast hit its mark, and the electromagnetic properties of the charge sent each of its victims into immediate emergency stasis. A woman's laugh rose, then grew deeper. Slate laughed, making a show out of blowing on the stun pistol, then shrugged Serrael off of her console and pressed a key. Tossing the gun behind him, he warped out, a grin firmly planted under cold eyes. On the main screen, a silent alarm flickered on and off.

__

(Well, that's as good a stopping point as any. I meant to update this a hell of a lot sooner, but the fit hit the shan when my writer's block lifted as soon as I had my first essay due for freakin' English 4....damned education system! I couldn't get into a creative writing class! Me! Freakin' French, damned spanish, and to hell with Biology and european history. I curse thee, economics, and may the furies of hellfire claim Theatre Aide! Avast thee, I am BROKEN!!!!

RG482: How in hell did he become a theatre aide? If that's what he calls drama...

Excuse me while I practice the murder scene of Macbeth. Hmm, where will I find myself..oh, there you are King Duncan Randomguy the Fourth....)


	15. Note to All Three of my Readers

This is just a quick note from the prodical ficwriter. I've been gone for.hell, a couple of months for several reasons. I was pissed. The NC-17 thing nuked a couple of my favorite fics. I don't agree with it and I don't like it, but out of respect, I'll put a limit to my bitching about it. It took a hell of a lot of time to calm me down enough to get back to work on the story. Theatre, theatre, theatre. From show to show, I go, without a rest. Working every day until 7 on a play is NOT easy. I've been working my ass off and I've neglected all else. I'm sorry. Damn technology. My compy was screwed up for a reason. I don't remember what, but it's fixed now. So there. There is no four.  
  
So.I'm working on the next chapter, for anyone who remembers me. Expect it before the week's over.  
  
Peregrine 


	16. Chapter 14: The Beginning

_(Author's Note: I don't own MMX, but my characters are always available for use IF YOU ASK ME! I need the ego stroke…I also need a g/f, if you happen to know where Humble(aka Hick-Ass), TX is located. Just kidding...mostly. UPDATE: N/M…I'm in love with a goddess, and I think she feels the same…if only she would stop hiding from it…long story, and none ya business!)_

Chapter 14: The Beginning

Night found himself once again in his favorite simulation. Now, he didn't even bother to cut through the attacking spheres and triangle; he simply dodged aside, Fire Striking through whatever he couldn't avoid. He reached the first node in seconds, down to half of his probe energy but unhurt.

          He ran through the second area, slicing anything in his path to bits. A well-placed Steam Shot cleared several targets at once, and he was done in moments. Jumping from level to level, clearing the area, he made his way to the portal. He vaguely noted his second S, then dashed through

          The third level was where things got interesting. According to his specifications, the number of threats was doubled. He took a couple hits before he reached the vertical climb. Pausing for a moment, he leapt straight up with a dash, fired a second burst, then flared the last few yards to the top. His third and final S flickered, then blurred, as cyberspace began to lose cohesion around him. "Here we go..." he muttered, blades at the ready.

          This time Cyber Peacock's surprise entrance came as no surprise. He warped behind his would-be target to find himself attacking air. Before he could disappear again, a Steam Shot slammed into his back, warping his armor, but not doing much damage. As he warped into the background once again, his voice called out, "Is that all you can do, rookie?"

          He appeared again behind Night, predicting the Hunter's dodge to the left. What he didn't expect was to be staring into a fireball. He felt himself being scrambled by the heat and lost cohesion. Swearing reverberated through the chamber. This time he appeared in midair, firing feather after feather at his foe. Night evaded each one with timed dashes, coming ever closer to his target. As the last exploded harmlessly behind him, he managed to get in two slices at Peacock before he could separate.

          Cyber Peacock appeared again, panting, but with a confident smirk on his face. After a short pause, he crossed his arms and laughed at the top of his lungs. Night froze. _You've never done this before... _Suddenly he found himself surrounded by eight laughing Peacocks, a feather sword held by each. "Aw, shit-" They struck as one and phased through his body too fast for him to move. Night found himself drop from 90% to 40 and nearly fell from the throbbing pain in his body. _At least when I upped the difficultly, I wasn't dumb enough to disable the safeties...I'll get a bit singed, but they won't kill me._ The thought comforted him, but he swore anyway mostly for show as his mind ran at overdrive.

The Peacocks returned, floating in circles around him. They raised their swords and prepared to strike. But then they stopped as one and looked around in confusion. Night wasn't there. "Where the hell is he?!" eight voices called out as one.

          "Up here, cocky!" Night smirked, hanging from the ceiling by a grapple claw.

          INITIALIZING WEAPON COPY SYSTEM...CONVERSION COMPLETE.

          "Quaking Fist!" Night cried, and then dashed straight down into the flock. His arms, instead of extending their plasma blades, formed a wire frame in the shape of a shield. As the plasma field struck the ground, burning chunks of steel flew in all directions, launched by the force of the impact. One by one, the Peacocks were struck and seven of the eight went up in smoke, leaving the last to scream and explode as its core went critical.

          Night rose with a groan, dragging himself up. His internal energy had fallen 25% from the attack, and his probe energy was completely gone. _But I won...I beat that stupid goddamned chicken..._

Just as Night stepped out the showers, hell broke out on the MMHQ speakers. He was back in his armor without a thought. He ran, unsure of where he was going, but that he was getting there fast.

_____________________________________________________________

          The Maverick Hunter Headquarters had fallen into chaos. Night pushed his way through crowds that seemed to be running in circles, like chickens with their heads cut off. First, Night was directed to the Command Center, but finding it empty, he pulled someone else out of the hall herd, to be pointed to the Brig. Finding it locked and sealed, he forced someone against a wall, and so it went until he finally made it to the Medical Bay. He rushed through the door, and then froze, unable to move.

          Lifesavor was completely lost in his work. He hadn't even noticed Night's arrival. His entire CPU was focused on the broken form on the operations table. The first thing Night noticed was Nadia's hair. The pale blue of her hair was matted in purple blood, strewn across her nude form. The sight of bruised and torn flesh nearly made him ill. Lifesavor was sealing what wounds he could at the moment, trying to prevent further damage.

          "Doc…what happened?" Lifesavor looked up at him, his eyes locked in a cold stare.

          "According to the Brig cameras… you did." Night gasped, trying to step back. He never saw Lifesavor's second body grab him from behind. 

          He continued. "Why, Night? We all regret the death of those men, but that was no excuse! I'm not even sure if I can keep this girl alive, and all because of your impatience and ignorance!"

          "But I didn't-" Night started, but he felt the grip tighten around him, stretching his arms to their limits. He was still weakened from the simulation and felt himself losing consciousness as the doctor's arms slowly crushed his body. "Let me go!"

          Lifesavor just continued to work as his twin held him fast. He was cold and detached, as if he was simply performing another operation. "You'll pass out from the pain soon enough, and then we'll decide what to do with you."

          Night screamed again, unable to escape. His vision had begun to blur and the warning messages in his head were at full blast. "I…didn't…"

          "Let him go, Doc! Now, damn it!" Alia stood at the door, leaning on it for support. Her face was bruised and bloodied. Her armor had cracked in places to show the torn synthflesh beneath. Her right arm fell limp at her side, but her left held her pistol firmly aimed at the head of the Lifesavor hurting Night. "Don't make me shoot you…"

          The body working on Nadia shrugged, not even looking up. "I'll be done soon enough with this criminal. Can't you see what he's done to Miss Nadia? Do not try to defend-"

          "It wasn't him! I swear to God that I'll give you more than a stun shot if you hurt him…" Her voice came in a pained growl. She nearly fell, but managed to remove the pistol's safely and charge a shot. Her entire body was shaking, but her eyes remained focused.

          Lifesavor stood and his other form turned to face Alia. "Your personal feelings aside, this has to be done! I saw the camera playback of Night attacking her! It could be no one but…" He trailed off, both bodies looking at Night. His armor was scored and damaged and a cursory scan showed far more damage than he had inflicted. He rushed to a screen and typed in a few commands. His frown deepened and he checked his findings several times. "The computer says he was in the Training Center at the time…how could that be?" He swore, letting his secondary form fade. Night slumped to the ground, fighting to catch his breath. He looked up at his savior and noticed her condition for the first time. "Alia, who-?"

          "Slate." She grunted and fell to her knees. "He went to their base. He…he's lost it."

          Night pulled himself to his feet and helped Alia into a cot. She started to pull herself up but Lifesavor was ready with a sedative. Her body went limp and the iron grip on her pistol relaxed as the weapon fell to the floor. "It's the only way she'll stop long enough for me to help her. She'll wake up mad, but she'll wake up in perfect condition."

          Night had pulled an energy capsule from the medical locker and felt the probes repair him almost immediately. "I'm going after him." He stared at Nadia, fists clenched.

          "It's too dangerous, Night! There's no guarantee you can bring him back-"

          "I'm not planning on bringing him back." Night marched out of the room, pausing to look at the two victims. "He's gone too far." 

In the Command Center, the techs were just coming to. Night stared at them for a moment, letting the anger wash over him. He walked up to the main terminal, pushing aside anyone in his way. He typed in the keys at a furious pace, staring at the screen. "Damn it, someone turn the warp shield back off and get me the last warp coordinates!" 

"No way, love…" Ser picked herself off of the ground, rubbing her head. "11 former friends are enough for one day."

He stared at her and she felt herself stepping back. She'd never seen a look like that in his eyes. It scared her a little, but she nodded. "So you're finally serious…I'll take you there," she said. She hummed a few bars and the terminal beeped in acceptance. The faint whine of the shield died down and all was quiet. "But don't you dare die on me." The words were nearly a whisper. Night pretended to ignore it, lost in his own thoughts.

He took hold of her arm and they warped out in silence, neither Hunter looking at the other.

          Things were tense at the secondary base. Four reploids sat at a square table, watching the projector between them. All of them were nursing wounds and none of them had a smile on their face. The room was dark, lit only by the red exit markers around them. Another reploid leaned on a wall, not looking at any of them. He was the only one unharmed. His arms were crossed and his face was hidden by a visored helmet.

          "We underestimated him…plain and simple. We knew he would come eventually and we still were unprepared." The voice was as stern and cold as his demeanor. He didn't bother to turn to the others. 

          "The bloody heathen…it was like watching Samson slay his enemies! He was unstoppable!" The reploid was leafing through his old bible frantically, searching for some passage to calm him. "Why did we leave Gabriel and Master back there? They can't hold him off forever…"

          "Aw, shut up and read you bible! Gabe can handle that stupid bunny rabbit, rage or no rage! Besides, Gabe's way cuter than him, anyway!" The second reploid was flipping a dagger in her hand, staring at the ceiling. Her feet were lying on the table, idly tapping on the projector. "What do you think, Leet?"

          Lita just giggled. "I have no doubt. The plan is going as scheduled, even if our prides were a bit hurt. Morrie, rub my back." The fourth Maverick stood and began to knead her shoulders. "Aaah…now we watch and we wait."

          Night and Serrael arrived under Neo Tokyo, in an abandoned subway station. The lights had long since died and the sound of scurrying creatures haunted the air. Graffiti lined the walls and bottles and vials of unknown substances covered the floor. Night kicked a liquor bottle and looked around, ready for a fight. Serrael sighed, making her way through the garbage to a pillar by the rusted tracks.

          "Over here," she said. Night walked over and stared at the cement block for a few moments, tapping at it with his hand. 

          "So, it's a support. Kind of important underground," he grumbled.

She jut shook her head and pointed. There, right at the center, was a stylized Angel Corp insignia, spray painted onto the cement. She traced the outline and waited.

          "What did-" A flash of light lit the room as blue lamps came to life up and down the tracks.

          WELCOME, NIGHT, CLASS: ARCHANGEL AND SERRAEL, CLASS: CAPTAIN

          "Archangel?" Night asked. "How does it know who I am, and why did it call ME an archangel?"

          Serrael shrugged. "Your power must match theirs. Here comes our ride." Night could hear a faint hum and turned to face it. The sound grew louder until, with a high-pitched screech, an old subway car stopped in front of them.

          Serrael jerked her thumb at the open doors. "After you, Nighty." 

          "Stand still, you fucking rabbit!" A wave of plasma smashed into the screen, causing the whole television to spark and explode. A faint tap rang in Gabriel's ears and he lashed out with a blade of pure energy, slicing through the wall. A split second before the blade struck, he saw a shadow move behind him. He tossed the blade in an arc, chopping through the old couch. "Where are you?!"

          "Right here." A fist slammed into Gabriel's face, sending him flying. The whine of dash boots cut through the haze of the sudden attack, and he felt himself slammed into the wall. A hand, more of a claw than any human hand, held his throat against the steel, crushing his neck. He counted the seconds, feeling himself go limp. Slate laughed. "Finally, I get to rip the wings off of an Angel…"

          Gabriel's eyes fluttered open, staring into Slate with fear and pain. Then Gabriel smiled. His arms pressed against Slate's chest, and he focused, sending a bolt of wild plasma though each palm. Slate leapt back, scorched, and drew his Dragon Tail. "You'll pay for that, murdering scum!" Gabriel only laughed and slapped his hands together. Another energy sword appeared and he knelt in a ready stance.

          "Bring it on, you scaly fucking rabbit…"

          The ride through the ancient tunnels was a silent one. Night faced ahead, staring at the endless row of lights. Serrael sat behind him, arms crossed, gazing into the light they were swiftly leaving behind.

          "It will be soon now," she said. "When we get there, what are you-"

          "I will exterminate all Mavericks." Night spoke with a dead tone. His eyes remained on the path ahead. His arms lay at his sides, in loose fists. All that moved was his hair, flowing from the draft of the cracked window. "This ends tonight."

          Serrael nodded to herself, hugging herself tighter. "Right. Once Master's out of the picture-"

          "All Mavericks will be exterminated. Angels, rogue hunters, all who refuse to surrender die tonight. No more innocents will suffer!" His fists clenched tighter. He fought off the tears that came to his eyes, forcing his eyes to focus on the task. 

          "Night!" She jumped in front of him, eyes burning into his, as he stared through her. "You know that some of them are under Master's control! How can you say things like that? These are my friends! These are my family! You can't hurt them! You can't!"

          "Don't interfere, or you will be considered a Maverick. The games are over. Stay out of my way." Night felt something in the back of his mind screaming, but he forced it down. He wouldn't let his weakness cost another life.

          Serrael wanted to scream at him, hit him, mesmerize him, but she felt the hopelessness of it all. She felt the anger rise within her, and with a sigh, she gritted her teeth and made her decision. "You're right. The games are over." Night watched the warp trail go with cold eyes, but he had to force the tears down once more.

          "This will be over soon…I promise."

          Slate watched his opponent slump to the floor, battered and beaten. He walked towards him slowly, watching him shake from his wounds. He'd carefully removed Gabriel's arms at the shoulders, once he'd beaten him. This was about humiliation. "Night told me he did the same thing…you have one hell of a record against rookies, don't you, Angel?"

          "F…f…fuck you!" Gabriel tried to stand, but only slipped on the floor. "This isn't the end yet!"

          Slate drew one of his Tails, igniting the pronged blade at the tip. He took another step and planted his foot on Gabriel's shoulder. "Don't worry. The end's coming right up!"

          "Stand down, Commander!" Night's blades were online and he stood ready to dash. "Kill him and I have no choice but to kill you."

          The Tail flickered and died. Slate let his boot fall and turned to face Night. His eyes glowed green and a fanged smile was on his face. "Fine. You can keep the bastard. He's not the one." Slate dashed off, going through the main doors.

          "Damn him…" Night started to pursue, but a crackling voice stopped him.

          "You…N…Night! I remember you! What you did to me!!!" Gabriel leaned in the corner, trying to push himself up. "I'll make you pay!"

          He raised his blades, but the feeling in the back of his head grew nearly overwhelming. Several silent moments passed as they stared each other down. Then Night let his arms fall and walked towards the door again.

          "Come…come back here!" Night ignored him, dashing through the doors.

          "So…you're the Master, eh? You look like some old fart to me…what're you gonna do, whip me with your beard?" Slate laughed at his own joke, his spear twirling. The 'old fart' stood in the shadows, nearly Brand's height. White hair rose from his nearly bald skull, defying gravity. A long beard and moustache covered most of his face. The rest of him was hidden in darkness, all apart from red eyes.

          "Hmm…young fool. I'll teach you a lesson you won't live to forget…but come. I can sense your impatience, Slate."

          "How did you…hell, it doesn't matter! YEEAAAAAAA!!!" Slate dashed forward, preparing an overhead slash. He never saw the shadow move. All he could feel was the pressure on his skull as the giant reploid's hand gripped his head. Then the pain began. Everything faded in a purple haze and he felt something deep within his spirit cry out. "Yes…there it is, the killer…and our hero, just in time!"

          "Master! Put him down!" Night dashed into the room and quickly switched to Agile mode. "I'm ending this now!"

          A malevolent laugh filled the room, echoing in their minds. He let Slate fall to his knees and retreated slowly into the shadows. "Hmm…I think our friend would disagree…"

          Night dashed, putting himself between Slate and his attacker. "Get back here, Master!" Then, in a lower voice. "Slate, are you all-"

          "GRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!" Slate's visor had fallen, making his scream deepen and echo. He was on his feet, a Tail in each hand, the end of each burning with purple blades. Then he charged.

          Night's arm boosters fired on their own, barely saving him from Slate's first attack. Familiar text played across his eyes.

DON'T PULL YOUR PUNCHES, NIGHT. STOP HIM BEFORE HE HURTS OTHERS. FOR HIS OWN GOOD, YOU MUST DESTROY HIM!

          Slate let out a feral giggle and ran forward, Tails slashing wildly. Night blocked the attacks with his blades, striking out with his own.

          "I won't let you hurt anyone else!" Firing with his arms, he spun, knocking a Tail out of Slate's hand. It exploded and Slate howled in pain. Gripping the other Tail like a saber, he rushed forward, faster than Night had ever seen him move. Two quick thrusts went through his arms before he could move. Laughing in victory, Slate leapt into the arm, latching onto the ceiling with claws on his boots and hands.

          Night felt his energy drop nearly by half and it took most of his probe energy to repair his hands.

CYCLONE SYSTEM SERIOUSLY DAMAGED. RETURNING TO REGULAR OPERATION.

          "Damn it…" With a double dash, he closed the distance between them, summoning the Fire Strike to launch him into the air. With a flip, Slate evaded the attack and pulled his Tail down Night's back as he fell again. It only took 5% of Night's energy, but Slate was down to a quarter of his probe energy and he had barely damaged his opponent.

          Night hit the ground and turned. Slate laughed, playing at licking the blade of his Tail. "Looks like I've got no choice…I'm sorry, Slate." The possessed reploid laughed again and charged, not even thinking to dash. Night ran forward to meet him head on.

          They closed at the center, blades flashing in the darkness. Every slash was blocked or dodged and they danced around each others' attacks in complete sync. Through all of this, Night felt himself weakening. For every strike he landed, Slate had managed two, and the punishment was taking its toll. He felt himself tiring, felt his moves become more sluggish. Soon, he knew, he would fail to block a vital blow. _No, I won't lose!!!,_ he thought.

SYSTEMS ENERGY HAS FALLEN TO 25%. TECHNIQUE READY. USE?

          _What have I got to lose…Yes! To Slate's surprise, Night launched himself into the air, grappling to the ceiling. He crouched for a moment, then leapt after him. Night dashed off of the ceiling, arms outstretched. For a second, their eyes locked. "Quaking Fist!" The wireframe shield covered Night's arms and they collided with a sickening crash as they both hit the ground. _

          Night picked himself off of the ground and groaned. "Damn it…down to 10%...what? Impossible!" Slate stood where he had landed, surrounded by the broken pieces of his helmet. His held his Tail in a deathgrip, staring at Night. Then, slowly, he fell over, unconscious. Night let a sigh escape his lips.

          "It's not over yet, Hunter! You've still got me to deal with." The figure stepped out from the shadows, then laughed. With the snap of a finger, the room was bathed in light. It was then that Night first saw the Master.

          His eyes were burning red, staring at him with an insane hatred. Lines of scarred flesh fell across both eyes, leaving purple trails on his face. His face was harsh and under the white hair, was still strong and ruthless, unchanged by the years.

          "It…it can't…Sigma?!" Night jumped to his feet, blades charged. He dashed forward to face him, but found himself attacking a ghost. 

          "Is that all you've got? X would have been disappointed, if he weren't insane…" Sigma was leaning against the far wall, glancing over at Slate. "However, you do seem quite talented at killing your friends! I guess he based you off of Zero, eh?"

          "Shut up!" Night rushed him again, using the last of his energy for a Fire Strike. He struck the wall with a crunch and fell over. Sigma stood over him, laughing.

          "You're pathetic…" Sigma grabbed a fistful of hair and lifted him up, staring into Night's eyes. "Killing you is almost an embarrassment." He spit in Night's face and threw him into the wall. Two lightning punches brought the Hunter to his knees.

          Night stared forward, his eyes out of focus. Sigma was laughing at him, he could feel it in his mind. It was the only clear thing in the world to him at that moment. All that existed was that insane laughter. Then, as his eyes began to settle onto his opponent, he smiled.

          "What?!" Sigma screamed, then grunted as a bolt of plasma slammed into his back. He whirled to stare at Serrael, holding a plasma rifle. "Well…if it isn't the prodigal princess…Won't Daddy be sad to see your broken carcass…" He was gone in flash, and then her gun was gone and she was pressed against the wall, next to Night.

          "So beautiful…he built you based on her designs, you know…the first truly living machine…his Eve." His laughter was softer this time, yet somehow chilled her to the bone. "It will bring me so much pleasure to watch Zero see Iris die again, through you…"

          Serrael struggled, but was helpless against Sigma's iron grip. "What're you babbling on about?! Let me go! Father will destroy you if-"

          "Father?! He is MY descendant…my father created him, then me…but I…I made him realize his true self. Who ever knew making Zero…oh, I mean William…kill your bitch of a mother would be so satisfying AND serve my purposes so well…I only wish I had the chance to break her first…I'll guess you'll have to do…" His grip became tighter and pulled her closer, forcing a hungry kiss onto her lips. She spit onto his face and he only laughed, tossing her aside. "You'll learn respect to your Master, soon enough…Tee hee hee….BWAHAHA-EEEEEEAAAAA!!!!!!!"

          Sigma's body suddenly burst into purple flames. He fell to his knees screaming, but the fires only grew in intensity. His cries reached a crescendo and fell silent. He knelt there, his eyes cold and dead. Sigma was gone. Night and Serrael watched in silence as he remained unmoving, frozen in death. Just as suddenly, a line of plasma cut through him and he exploded in a crimson ball of flames.

          "Your usefulness has expired, Sigma…it's pathetic that you believed you were still in control…" Another reploid stood behind his remains. Crimson armor covered his body and his arms were shaped into what looked like Busters, but cones of plasma flowed from them. A long ponytail of white hair rested on his shoulder.

          "Father!" Serrael leapt to her feet and hugged him, crying into his shoulder. He put an arm around her, but the other remained in its blade form. "You finally came to your senses…"

          "Not quite yet, daughter…there is still some insanity yet." With a barely perceptible motion, he ran her through, letting her fall back. 

          "Ser, no!!" Night pulled himself to his feet once more, his blades crackling as they fought for power. "How..how could you?!"

          "She betrayed me…just like her mother. It hurts less the second time, but it is equally necessary. Ahh, Night…you're everything I dreamed. You've surpassed your older brother and my own ignorant children in so short a time…"

          Serrael stared up from the ground, unable to move. "Father…you…you killed Mother…"

          "Smart girl. And as soon as I'm through with him, I'll have to have to cleanse you. I won't have my daughter so…tainted by humanity." He stepped over her and crossed to Night. "You were right, boy. This does end now."

          "You! It was you that killed my men, wasn't it?!" Slate was on his feet. He seemed mostly unhurt by his battle with Night, though he'd lost his Tails. 

          A grin came over the Father's face. "Me? Of course not…now, you, on the other hand…you destroyed them and you relished every drop of blood you spilled, Green Dragon."

          "What? That…that's ridiculous! I'll make you pay for that!" Slate's voice faltered, but his body was steeled for a fight.

          Father shook his head, staring at the ceiling. "Hmm…I suppose you don't remember. I designed you not to, once you had been tainted…they could never possess such a weapon…"

          "What are you babbling on about? Fight, already!" Slate took a step forward.

          "This is really starting to bore me. It's about time that your true potential was locked. You should be proud, Green Dragon. You will take the first steps in the Final Flood of Truth!" Father raised a hand and his body began to glow. He began to rise, his arms outstretched. "Awaken, my Demon!" The glow spread outward and Slate began to burn. Slate began to scream from the pain, but the scream soon silenced itself. He floated in the flames, staring into nothing. Then, he began to change.

          The broken pieces of his helmet began to shake, then flew back onto his face and became whole. His arms and legs extended, golden claws breaking through his armor. A thick tail ripped from his back and he hunched forward onto all fours. Spikes of green metal tore through his armor and flew out of his back, spreading into metallic wings. Last, his helmet locked into his flesh and sharp teeth appeared along the visor. The false eyes of the helmet began to glow and a guttural roar came from deep within this beast. Then the mouth slowly opened and began to glow with a green light…

          Night lost consciousness as the monster began to fire.

          "Wh…what?" Night came to moments later. He was on top of a building, one he didn't recognize. A hand touched his shoulder and he jumped. "Ser, are you alright-"

          "Look." She just pointed, tears in her eyes. Night followed her gaze and understood.

          Neo Tokyo lay in ruins. Everything was aflame. Towers had turned to rubble. Flashes of green light coarsed through buildings, bringing them to the ground. Deep, animal roars could be heard, even from the distance.

          "It's…it's really him, isn't it?" Night asked. Serrael only nodded, crying freely. He pulled himself up and held her, staring into the death below.

          The Command Center was abuzz with activity. In the Briefing Room, Night and Serrael were in a frenzied conversation with Alia when someone suddenly beat on the door. Alia yelled through the proofed wood without a problem. "What the hell is it?!"

          "He's on television! Garamond's going to address the Council!"

          They turned as the room's screen came to life.

          A man stood before the world on every screen. Black hair was meticulously cut. He was immaculately dressed. His manner exuded perfection, and he believed it. He took a deep breath, and began to address the nations of the Global Defense Council.

          "As you all know, I am your Chief Councilor, Julian Garamond of the AmeriCanadian Alliance. As you also know, this recent atrocity leveled nearly 10% of Neo Tokyo before ending as abruptly as it began. What you do not know…is that reploids were behind this malicious attack on humanity that claimed hundreds of innocent lives…

          "I will be brief. The time for politics has long passed. The Reploid Menace can no longer be ignored! For 50 years, we have let the Maverick Hunters lead us to believe the danger was over, but this new rash of attacks is proof positive that reploids are a threat to humanity as a whole…"

          "Which is why, under the powers granted this body by the Second Rainbow Accords, I enact Article 1, Paragraph 1 of this document, which calls for the immediate destruction of any weapon that threatens humanity as a whole. It has been proven that reploids are such a threat. Our damned experiment with intelligent life must come to an end. We have paid the price for playing God, and now we must set thing right. That is-"

          "Right?" The feed blurred and went dark, then was replaced by another face, one undeniably reploid. "Humans do not know the meaning of right! I am Father William Albert Ashton. You may know me better as Rouge Hunter Zero Omega. My time serving as a slave to human oppressors, the time that all reploids bowed to you is over! WE shall rise against you, in a Flood of Truth. We are God's chosen race, his blessed grandchildren, and we will wipe his tainted, failed experiment from the Earth! Observe!" The screen went blank.

          Alia sat at her command chair, confused. Then the warning signals began to come in, slowly at first, then in an endless stream. "What…what the hell?!"

          The world map slowly began to change, turning Maverick purple in a wave, starting from Japan.

          "What's going on here?!" Alia screamed, terrified.

Before anyone could answer, the whine of a warp filled the air. All was silent as Alia slowly turned around.

          "So…he finally managed it. He's infected nearly all the reploids in the world, in one fell sweep. With his new virus…Veritus…the Truth."

          Alia gasped, unable to move. "But…but…how?"

          "The first broadcast…Serrael's song must have carried part of it, infecting them with her vocal connection…this new broadcast must have carried the final piece…Sigma, you bastard, you've finally done it. You've got your war…"

          Night was the first to speak. "Sigma's dead…I saw Zero kill him…" He stepped forward, shock and confusion on his face. "You…you're…"

          He shrugged, a soft smile on his face. "I never liked terms like father. Call me X. And who is this Zero?"

_(Author's Note: Whew!!! I did it! I did it! I've got no energy left…I just had a grueling audition, am being actively avoided by the woman I love, and wrote from 8 to 11. that's' all you get for now…be happy! This is the end of the first half of Mega Man Legacy. The characters are revealed, and now the real war begins…the war for Elysium.)_


	17. Chapter 15: But A Whimper

_Author's Note: I don't own MMX or much of anything. I just recently got my life back from the Humble Theatre Department…hell, I'm single, so even what I own isn't worth having, if you think about it…anyhoo, yeah, ask me if you're going to use my chars. So, now after a few short months…)_  

Chapter 15: But A Whimper

Night watched the world go by, so much quieter than it had used to. The tower had been abandoned since the street fighting began. Most buildings were abandoned since that last horrible week. The humans had moved to areas free of reploids, hoping for new, safer lives in Europe and the AmeriCanadian Alliance. Japan, Asia, Russia…there were probably less than a thousand humans left there, mainly those too stubborn to run and the few GDC forces trying to get them out. Asia was the reploid's world now. A strong of ghost metropolises, places of billions now occupied by a few million reploids, zealots to the cause. They're not even reploids anymore, Night thought. They're Mavericks…mindless killers. He'd fought them every day since the Great Awakening the week before. He'd killed more than he wished to remember. He remembered anyway: 47. The Hunters were far better equipped than their opponents, but numbers matched with insane zeal…it looked like a losing battle. 

          "How can a hundred reploids defeat millions of monsters…monsters with the faces of friends, children, lovers…Damn it, this can't be how the world ends!" He slammed his fist into the concrete rail, cracking it. He took a deep breath as he watched the hundreds of little fires through Neo Tokyo.

          "Not with a bang, but a whimper…" Night turned, blades ready. With a sigh, he relaxed. X smiled in his quiet way, then leaned on the rail beside him. "T.S. Eliot…an old poet. We all have so much potential for beauty…but we choose…this." He waved a hand at the dead city. "We are the hollow men, the straw men…it's as if man and reploid were born without a soul…"

          "I don't have time for riddles and philosophy, 'Father'." Night started to walk away, but X put a hand on his shoulder. His blue armor seemed nearly black in the near-total darkness. His eyes were calm, yet the light smile was still on his face.

          "I know how it looks, Night, but this isn't the end. We'll find them and we'll put an end to Veritus. We'll stop Sig…" He faltered, releasing Night and running his hands through his now-white hair. "The program…it's still running inside of me. It's as if my own mind is sealed in the past." He sighed, turning to look out on the shadows. "Like I'm trapped in my sorrows…as if anything beyond those hard days never mattered…"

          Night left without a word, his fists clenched.

          "Shhtatus report, Doc…" Alia was drunk and she knew it. It was hard to get a reploid drunk, but it was harder to think at the moment. Lifesavor simply frowned and poured, frowned and poured, knowing that his brand of medicine was useless now. 

          "We've suffered only 2 casualties, surprisingly, and both of those were damage from enemy core reactions-"

          "They're not the damned enemy! They're Mavericks." She kicked back another shot, drowning the warning message in her mind. As if she cared about the level of alcohol in her system. Her mind was her worst enemy lately and she wanted to hear it scream for a while.

          "Maverick core reactions. Slate's men are too well trained to be beaten by the usual Zealot." There was a necessary moment of silence, in memory of their former UC or in acknowledging his role in the situation, neither of them knew. "Nearly 5,000 reploids have been neutralized by our forces, another 20,000 by combat with GDC forces, and 100,000 from bombings of their facilities and nests."

          Alia sighed. "Pour." The glass filled. The glass emptied. "I wasn't talking about shhtatishtics…" She knew she didn't really have to slur, but the look it put on the Doc's face was worth it. "How's everyone dealing?"

          The Doc sighed, taking a sip of his own barely-touched glass of wine. "It's a damnable situation. Depression, insomnia, nightmares…and that's just the technicians. Field troops…they're losing their grip. Honestly, I don't blame them. It's hell out there. Reploids…not even combat-made, but reploids no stronger than a human fight them like animals with bits of pipe or bare hands, trying to tear them apart…and they have to shoot them. They have to kill innocents every day. It's damnable. Just…damnable." He took another, larger sip, filling Alia's glass almost out of habit.

          "And Night? How's he holding up?" Alia leaned back, swirling the brown liquid about, her mind racing despite itself. Everything he said was filed, logged, and cross-referenced. The drinks were more of a gesture than anything else. That's how I'm designed, she thought, the first smart blonde in history…

          Lifesavor shook his head, his habitual frown deepening. "Better than some, but the emotions are getting to him…all of this is too much for him. Serrael's been avoiding him, or so the rumor mill informs me-"

          "Rumor mill?" Alia couldn't help but laughed. "I wouldn't expect our humorless physician to listen to the grape vine…"

          He shrugged. "People get talkative when you're putting their arms back on." He took another sip and continued. "Night's dealing with this in his usual manner, alone. No Serrael, no Sol, no Slate…you've been working non-stop. He's on his own, except…" He trailed off, suddenly aware of something on the ceiling.

          Alia grunted, putting her glass on the table. She was suddenly sober and very aware. The way I'm designed…, she mused. "Except for X."

          He just nodded, letting the silence returned. He could hear Alia swear under her breath, though he noticed more frustration than anger in her tone.

          She stood up, stretching. "Figures. Gone for half a century, and the first thing he does is just into the fray. Dispensing justice with a smile on his face and a tear in his eye. And now he's making up for two decades worth of daddy issues?! Shit…how come…how come…" She felt the tears on her cheek before she knew she was crying. Lifesavor rose to offer some sort of comfort, but she just waved him off. "Go on…the patrols will be in soon." With a nod, he left, sparing a final glance in her direction. She was leaning back in her chair, her face in her hands. She almost seemed like the same old stressed Alia, if not for the small convulsions that shook her as she sobbed.

          A few minutes later, the door opened again. "If you're not dying, get the fuck out. If you are, get the fuck to the Medical Bay…" She covered her face in her hands, hiding the emotion in her voice the best she could.

          "You always had such a way with colorful language…you'd never expect it from that bright, smiling, beautiful young tech, but she could make a marine blush if wanted to…" X sighed with nostalgia, leaning on the door frame. Alia laughed through the tears, turning away from him.

          "I haven't been bright since…I haven't smiled for a long time. I was never young. And beautiful…" She snorted. He walked over to her, leaning forward to rest on her shoulders. She shivered at the touch.

          "Beautiful never began to describe it…you are my light, my reason to keep coming home…" X put his arms around her, but she pushed him aside, turning on him. The tears came anew, though her eyes burned with anger and pain.

          "But it wasn't enough, was it? Even now, you wait a week before dragging yourself over here! Why? Because you thought fixing your fuck ups as a daddy was more important than fixing your fuck ups as a lover? Am I even on your fucking list?!"

          X stood his ground against the fire in her eyes. He felt himself wanting to die for causing that pain, but he wouldn't look away. "I love you, Alia. Night has his own life, his own future. The world is too large and too dark for me to care about anymore. You are all I have, all I could ever hope for. You're all I want or need. It took me fifty years to fully understand how much time without you I could tolerate. I lost myself…I'm still lost. Please…" He held her again. This time, she didn't resist, though her arms hung limp at her sides. She felt so weak next to him, helpless, unable to look away. "Don't let me lose you…" They kissed, softly at first, then with a hunger neither of them knew they had. Alia wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into her, as if afraid he'd fly away. After a long moment, they paused, holding each other.

          "Shut the door," she whispered. Wordlessly, he did. "Lock it." She heard the click, then smiled, as if the tears had never existed.

          "Now…" She pushed him away from the door, letting her armor fade, a flash of pink in the dim light. "it's been fifty years…and I think you have a lifetime of making up to do..."

          Tess hadn't signed up for this. Her Buster was charged and it felt warm on her arm, almost painfully so. She just gritted her teeth and kept moving. The techs had picked up life signs in the area. Now, she was stuck in the middle of nowhere, separated from the unit. She didn't recognize the streets anymore, the long shadows of empty buildings turning the street level into a pitch dark maze. That was one of the reasons she always stayed charged: it was a good source of light sometimes, and seeing in the dark could mean life or death down here.

          "Tek, Rolly, come in…I'm warping home and leaving your asses a Buster short if you don't pick up this damn minute…" She hated the dark, hated enclosed spaces, and lately, she hated being alone. The comm didn't answer her and she swore under her breath. She barely heard the sound of something crunch behind her. She whirled and fired. 

          The Maverick never had a chance. Half of the word 'heretic' escaped his lips before he went up in a purple flame from a Super Charge to the chest. He went critical almost instantly, but the delay was enough so that she saw his face. That was the other reason she always stayed charged: They always woke up when they died, and no one should die slowly. The flash from the explosion lit the rest of the street. In the distance, she could make out  a boarded-up building. She dashed there, worried that the Zealot might have had friends.

          She made quick work of the makeshift barricade. A woman fired a magrifle at her face, but she moved just in time. Two children were huddled behind a counter. Their mother reloaded and waited, a terrible sort of calm in her eyes of someone sure that they would die protecting something.

          "Don't worry, ma'am. I love kids. I used to work in a day care before…well, before all of this. I'm here to help."

          The woman let the gun fall to her side, her face flushed with relief. They smiled at each other. Tess didn't notice the children gasp, but the mother had the rifle ready before she knew what was happened, turning to save her children. A flash of green filled her eyes and a faint breeze caressed her neck before Tess could react. A Zealot lay at her feet, inches from reaching her. A hole in its head had stopped it permanently. Rolly stood behind her, saber drawn. Rolly waved from the street, blowing imaginary smoke from his laser rifle. The mother pointed the rifle at Rolly's head and didn't look like she was going to relax again.

Tess took a deep breath, then removed her Buster, motioning for the others to disarm.

"We're friends here. Let's get you out of here. We can get you on a transport out of here by morning, but you've got to trust us…"

          After a long while, the rifle clattered to the ground. They were all gone in a trail of light a few moments later. Tess hated the dark, but she kept going down. She knew what the light was worth to those trapped in the night.

_(So, there's my next chapter. I know, I know. But it's hard to find time to write when you're OCD about acting and have to fill Peter O'Toole's shoes. Yeah, I was Henry II from The Lion in Winter. Hard ass work…In any case, sorry about always being so damn sporadic…not like I've got star power like Erico. I should be pushing my product.)_


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